Ways to cope with coronavirus anxiety and fear

MEDFORD, Ore. — The coronavirus pandemic can have an impact on your mental health.

NBC5 News asked a local mental health counselor about ways to cope if you’re feeling heightened stress or anxiety.

Professor of Clinical Mental Health at Southern Oregon University, Victor Chang, says if you’re isolated at home to try to keep a routine as much as possible.

That could mean keeping to your typical sleep or work schedule.

He also says to limit your use of social media and give yourself a break from coronavirus-related information.

“Scrolling through your phone for your news feed 15 hours a day is not going to help you plan or do anything differently, all it will do is drive anxiety,” said Chang.

Many of us may be isolated, but Chang says to remember we’re are all in this together. So, reaching out to friends and family can be a helpful reminder of that.

Since the future is uncertain, he says it isn’t productive to think about what will happen.

Instead, stay in the present as much as possible and live one day at a time as best as you can.