COVID-19: Managing Anxiety, with Psychologist Mustafa Özbilici

Fear and anxiety related to the coronavirus (Covid 19) pandemic negatively affect individuals and can push them into psychological distress. Psychologist Mustafa Özbilici, noting that experiencing such anxiety is normal, explained how we can manage anxiety and psychological states during this period and provided important information.  

"View this period as an opportunity to know yourself better and spend quality time with yourself, and focus on what comes after; it is a chance to take the right steps for your future regarding your life."

In the fight against the coronavirus affecting the entire world, how can we describe the psychological state that individuals are in?

First of all, people do not know what this virus is or what it can lead to, and uncertainty always creates anxiety and worry. That is, anxiety about the future. Following this, with the uncertainties emerging in the economy, in addition to the virus threatening health, concerns have started to arise because it also threatens the socio-economic order.

How can we cope with the uncertainty and anxiety created by the pandemic? How will we manage this crisis from a psychological perspective?

Certain levels of anxiety actually enable us to take precautions against many threats, but experiencing excessive anxiety damages our immune system and leaves us physically vulnerable to illness. First, this is a process and we will accept this process. We will take precautions, like every negative period, this period will also pass. It is beneficial to perceive life as a package, and while this package contains wonderful things, it also has some negative aspects. It is in our hands to learn from the negatives and turn this situation to our advantage. View this period as an opportunity to know yourself better and spend quality time with yourself, and focus on what comes after; it is a chance to take the right steps for your future regarding your life.

Can you provide information about the psychological problems your clients are generally experiencing during this period?

Generally, there is fear that this period will not pass and the virus will spread further. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, financial anxiety.

Are there psychological disorders and illnesses that have emerged as a result of this period's trigger? Or are they anticipated?

Our people have experienced many negative events, especially since January. Most recently, the Covid-19 threat. Anxiety disorders, particularly panic disorder, are increasing in our country. With regard to this period, it is anticipated that obsessive-compulsive disorder may increase.

"With regard to this period, it is anticipated that obsessive-compulsive disorder may increase."

At what point can individuals seek professional support?

We recommend that everyone seek psychological support whenever they cannot cope with stress or anxiety in life. Everyone may need support from time to time, and it is very important to normalize this. During this period, as "Özbilici Psychological Counseling," we provide completely free 20-minute online counseling services. During these difficult times, we are trying to provide what support we can without commercial expectations.

As we know, children are also negatively affected by this period. What attitude should parents have and how should they behave?

Children's being affected by this situation will vary in a normal way or exaggeratedly in parallel with the parent. If we do not want our children to be excessively affected, we must manage our own anxiety. News and current affairs should not be discussed or followed in their presence. By turning this period of isolation into an opportunity, we should play plenty of games with them and allow them to release their emotions. Play is the child's language; plenty of free play games and communication games will both allow children to express themselves and relax. This playtime spent with family can also be seen as an opportunity for busy parents to make their children feel safe and peaceful and strengthen family bonds. Any game that calms children and allows emotional expression will help ease their anxieties. Play dough, games with kinesthetic sand, playing with puppet theater relax children. Additionally, by giving them old magazines and papers to tear apart, telling them they can tear up these papers while thinking about the things that upset and worry them, modeling this behavior ourselves and encouraging them, we can then have an imaginary snowball fight together with these torn papers, open music and dance and have fun with these simple paper fragments—children find this very helpful. Seeing how the things that upset them become things they can have fun with makes children able to cope with anxiety.

What are your activity recommendations to reduce psychological anxiety and distract the mind?

I recommend writing; particularly write down your feelings and thoughts from these days, read plenty of books that interest you, you can watch series and films, you can do puzzles; do not neglect exercise even if you are indoors. Any kind of activity that will change your focus point and allow emotional expression will be beneficial for anxiety levels. Special Interview/Prepared by: Nükhet Sezer