How to Handle Coronavirus Anxiety | Special Edition

The 'Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris' podcast episode, 'How to Handle Coronavirus Anxiety | Special Edition,' featured two experts, Dr. Luana Marquez, a clinical psychologist and expert in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and Jay Michaelson, a meditation teacher and columnist. The episode focused on providing practical tools and insights to help listeners manage their anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Marquez emphasized the appropriateness of anxiety in the face of a real threat, urging listeners to work on their thinking to cool down their brains. She introduced the Yerkes-Dodson curve, explaining the inverse relationship between anxiety and performance, highlighting the need for a balanced level of anxiety to function effectively.

Dr. Marquez suggested various techniques to manage anxiety, including engaging in physical activities like exercise, practicing meditation, and regulating news consumption to avoid information overload. She also recommended maintaining social connections virtually to combat isolation. Jay Michaelson echoed the importance of awareness and metacognition, the ability to be aware of one's mental state, which is cultivated through mindfulness and meditation practices. He pointed out the dangers of denial, both individually and at a systemic level, and the ethical responsibility to take social distancing seriously to slow the spread of the virus.

The conversation also touched on the challenge of social distancing and its impact on mental health, the importance of sleep hygiene, and the role of self-awareness in preventing panic and denial. Michaelson suggested using simple mindfulness practices, such as paying attention while washing hands or not touching one's face, as opportunities to practice presence and build resilience.