--- title: "Strange Days: Navigating the times of stress, worry and anxiety" description: "In these times of coronavirus-induced anxiety and Eskom-sparked worry, we take a deep breath and look at stress: where does it come from, how does it differ from anxiety and worry, and how do we deal with it?" type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "MAVERICK LIFE: CORONAVIRUS" author: "Emilie Gambade" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/emilie-2/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-03-23-strange-days-navigating-the-times-of-stress-worry-and-anxiety/" published: "2020-03-23T14:26:29" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 1149 --- # Strange Days: Navigating the times of stress, worry and anxiety > In these times of coronavirus-induced anxiety and Eskom-sparked worry, we take a deep breath and look at stress: where does it come from, how does it differ from anxiety and worry, and how do we deal with it? By Emilie Gambade · Published 23 March 2020, 16:26 SAST ## Content *This story was originally sent as a newsletter. Sign up for our [newsletter](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/about/newsletter/)to get the best of Maverick Life delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning.* On the 15th of March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa, addressing the nation and declaring Covid-19 “[a national disaster and the world’s gravest emergency](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-03-15-ramaphosa-shows-mettle-as-he-declares-covid-19-a-national-disaster-and-the-worlds-gravest-emergency/)”, said: “We must appreciate the extent of the threat that this disease presents, we must accept **the anxiety** that it causes, but we cannot allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by **fear and panic**”. As the Inter-Agency Standing Committee for Mental Health and Psychological Support in Emergency Settings (IASC MHPSS) [noted](https://mcusercontent.com/c2523f4cbed5f394e2158b43f/files/d92de91b-bf7f-4cf8-86fb-44957ab46970/MHPSS_COVID19_Briefing_Note_FINAL_26_February_2020.pdf): “In any epidemic, it is common for individuals to feel stressed and worried”. **A brief history of stress** ***Give me the back story.***In 1936, a Hungarian-Canadian endocrinologist, Hans Selye, uses a term commonly applied to physics to label a “[syndrome produced by diverse nocuous agents](https://www.nature.com/articles/138032a0)” – stress. ***Nocuous agents?***Yes, harmful stuff. Experimenting on rats, he noticed that “if the organism is severely damaged by acute non-specific nocuous agents such as exposure to cold, surgical injury, production of spinal shock … a typical syndrome appears … a response to damage as such”. ***Hectic!*** Especially for the laboratory rats. His study, which eventually found that rats wouldn’t die of illness but from stress, was groundbreaking but received a lot of backlash. ***Tell me why?*** Because his methods bordered on torture. ***A nice man.*** Yep. And because evil has no limit, Selye didn’t stop there. According to Lila MacLellan in [Quartz](https://qz.com/work/1316277/what-is-stress-hans-selye-the-scientist-who-coined-the-term-called-it-the-opposite-of-death/), “in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Selye was one of many scientists globally who made covert contributions to the tobacco industry’s ‘Project Whitecoat’, a co-ordinated, well-funded effort to recruit scientists who would characterise tobacco as benign”. ***Oh great.*** But I digress. Still, “Selye pioneered the field of stress research and provided convincing arguments that stress impacted health,” according to the [Centre for Studies on Human Stress.](https://humanstress.ca/stress/what-is-stress/history-of-stress/) He also developed the concept of bad and good stress (which he called eustress). ***And?*** Fast-forward to the 21st century, and “toxic stress” is linked to an array of health concerns, like lowering the immune system or higher blood pressure. ***That’s it?*** Dr Kerry Ressler, chief scientific officer at McLean Hospital and professor of psychiatry at [Harvard Medical School](https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/protect-your-brain-from-stress), adds that there is evidence that “chronic (persistent) stress may actually rewire \[our\] brains”. ***Oy.*** And US pediatrician Dr Nadine Burke Harris explains that, in the case of [childhood stress](https://www.newsweek.com/2020/03/06/yes-stress-really-making-you-sick-1489620.html), it can be “as toxic and detrimental to the development of the brain and body as eating lead paint chips off the wall”. ***Holy moly!*** Exactly. But, as we learn more about stress and its impact on health, we also find new ways to cope with what has often been called “a disease of modern societies”. There is hope. **Explain: the difference between stress, anxiety, worry** [*The New York Times’*](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/smarter-living/the-difference-between-worry-stress-and-anxiety.html) Emma Pattee explains that, “**Worry** is what happens when your mind dwells on negative thoughts, uncertain outcomes or things that could go wrong.” It often happens in (and sticks to) the head. **Stress**, on the other hand, is “a physiological response connected to an external event”. Selye found that stress couldn’t exist without “stressors” – what he called nocuous agents, but which could be biological or psychological stressors. Stress can be good or bad depending on the reaction it induces. As for **anxiety**, Pattee explains: “Remember how stress is a natural response to a threat? Well, anxiety is the same thing … except there is no threat.” It also often happens in both mind and body. **We're in this together. For real.** The IASC MHPSS explains that, “**the constant fear, worry and stressors** in the population during the COVID-19 outbreak can lead to **long-term consequences within communities and families**”. Here are a few things we can do to avoid stigmas and broken networks: - Avoid speculating about rumours or unverified information. - Maintain social contact with people who might be isolated through phone calls, WhatsApp or text messages. - Avoid frantically piling up on goods – you're not alone. By that we mean, think of others too. - But do pile on good books – some local bookshops are organising deliveries so you don't have to go out. **Few tips to help us through stressful times** **Sleep. Sleep well.** “Decades of research confirm the importance of sleep to health and daily functioning, with a recommendation of seven to nine hours of sleep a day for adults,” says [Maverick Life’s Malibongwe Tyilo](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-03-08-beyond-the-mattress-the-rise-of-the-digital-sleep-industry/). **Slow down on sugar, alcohol and caffeine.** “Because anxiety is physiological, stimulants may have a significant impact,” advises [Harvard Health Publishing](https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/protect-your-brain-from-stress). **Keep your routines.** Studies have found that routines may help with mental health conditions, including [bipolar disorders](https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb08/consistent). Daily journaling or keeping a ‘[thought diary’](https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/shyness-is-nice/201404/how-keep-thought-diary-combat-anxiety) can be a great way to schedule what you need to do, like exercise or calling a friend. **Unplug.**Try to identify what makes you feel stressed and see if and how you can avoid those stressors (social media anxiety? Listening to the news 24/7?) – take some time to unplug from your phone, TV, streaming services and opt for reading or meditating instead. **Meditation.**Practicing mindfulness means being “in the moment”, with no specific intentions or judgment; it means being aware, focused, observant and accepting things as they are (and letting them go). According to a few researchers, the practice – which helps in taking a step back and getting some perspective – is said to reduce stress levels. There are some great apps to help you meditate like [Headspace](https://www.headspace.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1043602001&utm_content=59734094548&utm_term=246966491709&headspace&gclid=Cj0KCQjwx7zzBRCcARIsABPRscMfm50CtsjNHGCbwOf1xNEyELgLBZ00-zyiUgV16BIGsju1p-NPQJgaAqniEALw_wcB), [Calm](https://www.calm.com/), [Insight Timer](https://insighttimer.com/). **Exercise.** You don’t need to go out to do so – the IASC MHPSS recommends yoga, tai chi, stretching and there are plenty apps you can download to help you train at home. The [Nike Training Club app](https://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-myuvx-wyddjkkiy-yd/) even has some exercise routines like, “Just You and 1 sq Meter” or “Keep it Quiet – Don’t Wake Your Neighbours” for indoor solo training. **Connect.**We mean 'safe-distance connect' via digital networks. This might be the time when social networks could bring some magic home. Look up for these hashtags to find some inspiration: **#isolationbaking #****[isolationfilmclub](https://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-myuvx-wyddjkkiy-yh/) #isolationcreation** **In numbers** **62:**The number of times – in millions – that the meditation app Headspace had been[downloaded](https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/12/headspace-raises-53-million-and-40-million-in-debt-as-it-pursues-clinical-validation-for-mindfulness/) in 190 countries **5:** The number of [major types of anxiety disorders](https://www.hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/what-are-the-five-major-types-of-anxiety-disorders/index.html), as explained by the WHO, including Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder **Mighty words** “Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don’t lend it to your neighbors.” **– Rudyard Kipling** “Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” – **Benjamin Franklin** *If you would like to share your ideas or suggestions with us, please leave a comment below or email us at emilie@dailymaverick.co.za and malibongwe@dailymaverick.co.za.*