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Relationships with Dr. Jankovich: Coping

Many are struggling with the fear of not being able to predict that’s going to happen because of the COVID 19 pandemic.  What we read, the news we hear, keeps triggering our fears about possible changes in the future; like not knowing when the economy will rebound. 

The more you imagine bad things in the future, that have not yet happened, the worse you will feel and the more you drive up feelings of anxiety.  Rather than imagine the bad things coming, remind yourself to stay in the present, dealing with the problems right in front of you instead of those that haven’t happened.  When your mind wanders to dread of the future, yank your thoughts back to now.  Distract yourself with activities that keep your mind away from your fears.  If you must go into the future, create a possible solution for the scary future events and then force yourself to not travel there again in in your mind.  Some events have no solution other than acceptance; those are the hardest ones.

Dr. Jankovich is a former commentator for “Relationships with Dr. Rebecca Jankovich” and has been working as a psychologist since 1974.