This year is so unpredictable you do not realize just eight months back; you were in school with your friends and living life freely. However, it is those who suffer from anxiety that feels a heavier burden each day rather than just missing hanging out with their friends and family.

Anxiety has the general definition of being a reaction or emotion when a person is put into a situation that can be described as overly stressful or dangerous. Every day especially during these times someone can experience a bit of apprehension although it might not be severe as many cases are. Many people have anxiety that can be highly affected by their mental state or even have their anxiety be the cause of where their stability is. Anxiety can be so severe to a person that their body could almost completely shut down to a point that they experience times of unconsciousness, hysterical behavior, or intense emotion. A panic attack is similar to this reaction because it is when someone suffers from a violent episode of fear that overstimulates the mind and causes a large trigger within your brain. Anxiety can overall be a danger to a person because it has the possibility to threaten their life.

With that information, what the definition is for quarantine can only lead someone to imagine how impactful it truly is when the idea itself could lead someone who suffers from anxiety into a panic attack. Quarantine is a period of isolation meaning they are left with no social interaction and are left with purely their own thoughts. These days everyone has their own opinion on solitude whether it being good or bad, but those who deem it to be the worst experience within their lifetime are barely experiencing the true terror it is for someone who suffers from anxiety.

Someone’s anxiety could only plummet more with the idea of getting an illness that does not have any sort of medication that truly treats it. If one becomes ill due to the virus, there is only hope for one’s immune system to do wonders and push through to survive. With school and its pressure, it can put on someone only worsens the situation due to the idea that someone could be already going through a rough time and now has to manage even greater stress due to work overloads.

There truly is no way to know ahead of time when someone is going to have an episode and what their reaction would be. Although someone’s reaction might just be the need to take a breather and sit down; by the next moment, they could be experiencing more severe symptoms. It is suggested you call for help if you are aware that the person never suffered from anxiety before and suddenly has a severe reaction. If they are known to have these episodes, sit with them and talk soothingly to reassure them of your presence. Although this seems so small and not worth the effort, it truly is. You might not be able to do much, but simply being there when they are vulnerable is enough to help them through it. After the person has seemed to recover it’s best to separate from the area and go on from there.

Although there is not much to do now during the pandemic there are still plenty of options of things you can do to calm your nerves: draw, paint, read, pick up a hobby, or simply sit down and collect your thoughts. It is always best to consult with a medical professional and have the advice from their viewpoint and to work from there. Anxiety is not a joke because of the dangers it can put someone in and how badly it could burden someone’s daily life. Never be afraid to seek help because you are not alone and your life matters.