Anyone else scared

Good morning ? to all of you that are suffering at this time.
I'm assuming from your posts that your watching the news? Listening to the news? Reading the news?
Please, please, try to stop. It's not healthy. It only feeds your anxiety. Make yourself watch, read, listen to only 'nice' stuff.

It is worrying, yes but getting yourself into a permanent state of high anxiety does not help anyone at all.

I have moments when I do, when I saw a photo of my DN in her PPE gear, when I think of family far and near; there is much to worry about.

But worrying does not make anything better and stress lowers your immune system, making your body less able to cope with potential viruses.

I watch very little news but have a habit of flicking on the headlines. I must stop this.
The parasympathetic nerve system ie Fear, Flight, Freeze can to some extent be " tamed" for want of a better word.
To be told that worry makes you less able to shrug off viruses is not terribly helpful.

I wasn't aware that there was "a spirit of things" on this thread.
I don't think banging a pan or clapping or invoking the Blitz spirit helps everybody.

Coggie, so sorry to hear how very terrified you are at present. Could I suggest that firstly you stop having any news programmes on = try to watch or listen to anything else. Lots of things on other tv chanel, to entertain and not frighten you. At the most permit yourself just a once a day 10-15 minute look at the news.
Also, you need to look after yourself. The old adage of You are What you Eat, is so true,. Try to spend some time working out good,healthy, meals. Allow yourself some treats as well.
As far as possible follow your old (pre lockdown) daily routine. Getting up and going to bed at normal times, eating normal meals at normal meal times, in between read, craft, relax, listen to music, plan your next meal, etc. etc.
If you are having problem sleeping (probably due to icreased anxiety), do not - due to that - change your nightime habits. FInd some relaxing music to listen to, do you have access to any forms of talking books?
Do not be afraid to talk to your GP about how you feel and ask for some short-term aid for sleep problems,. You can do this quite easily with a phone consultation, so do not have to worry about going there.
Nobody is going to lock anyone up for feeling so anxious at any time, particularly at the present time.
BUT.......do remember, that the over-whelming majority of people who contract this virus recover, many of them with only reasonable mild symptons. Whereas it does have a high infectious rate, it has a very low mortality rate.
Unfortunately, the news is designed is to keep us scared so that we obey the rules, but it is also causing so many serious other problems.
Yes it is effecting the whole world, but that also means that so many labs and high trained and clever people are involved in looking both for a cure and a vaccine. In the meantime, just remember that only 1% of those that contract this virus are likely to die. Dreadful for them and for their families, but do keep it in proportion. Do you normally spend most of your life really scared of the other dreadful illnesses and diseases out there that kill tens of thousand of people each year?
Take one day at the time, lots of deep breaths and put things into perspective.
If you wish to discuss any of this with me privately, please do PM me.

Sorry to have annoyed you FarNorth
It was not my intention. Just trying to stay positive as it's so easy to slip into the slough of despond and think negatively.

A helpful post Franbern

I thought I was being helpful too but obviously not.

My DM used to say "Don't meet trouble halfway"

Thanks Fran, I'm going to take your advice and try.

I do think it's important to allow us to have whatever feelings we have though.