The Anxiety is Getting to Me – Dealing with Anxiety and ADHD during COVID-19

DISCLAIMER. THIS IS MY OPINION. Unless stated by a source, it is all opinion based. Do not use these, if stated otherwise by your doctor.

I’ve spoken to numerous people, and they are really anxious, regarding the current pandemic. Countries are going back to Quarantine Take 2. The anxiety is honestly getting to so many people.

I’m one of those people, but I have a few tips that may be of use to you:

1. Take a break ~ Sometimes the internet can get really dramatic. When that happens, I unplug my laptop, shut off my social media, and sit down with the family. Sometimes, I will need a break, so bad, that I can’t think straight. These are called Mental Health days, and I will just drop everything and just reset. However, I have made sure that I am ahead in school before I’ve done these! Haha!
   
2. Limit caffeine intake ~ According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ND), caffeine and alcohol consumption “can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.”
   
3. Get enough sleep ~ The ADAA also states that “when stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest.”

Many people, like me, are online now, and learning digitally. If you have ADHD, focusing in person classes, let alone in online classes, is nearly impossible. Here are a few tips that I came up with that help me with focusing on schoolwork.

1. Close all distracting tabs ~ I know, everyone says this, but if you find yourself mindlessly clicking on Facebook or Instagram, you should stand up, take a Body Break, and then go back to your assignments.
   
2. Consider installing a Focus Chrome Extension ~ I have heard of many people who use these. These extensions are free, and can block you from going to specific sites during specific times. However, if you need to, you can always allow access to it again.
   
3. Write out all you have due Sunday night before Monday Classes ~ I do this every single Sunday, and get really anxious when I forget to. My teachers write out what we have due that week, on Fridays and since I am an expert procrastinator, I generally log on to check what I have due, 10:00 at night. Writing out due dates that I can look at easily on a physical piece of paper, really help me out. I use a timesheet, that I can rip the past week’s assignments out of. Then if it’s Friday and I have something due, I can panic!
   
4. Take regular breaks ~ Sometimes, we can get into the zone, or we can just not focus at all. We can get so everywhere, that the time flies by. When this happens, I take a break, and walk down the stairs to grab a snack, or make lunch, or even blast music, while I’m doing something.
   
5. Remember to eat ~ I, like a lot of people I know, forget to eat lunch and/or breakfast. Remind yourself to eat, and set alarms.
   
6. Set alarms and your wake up clock, to different sounds ~ I find, that if I set an alarm in the morning, and use the same sound, I automatically ignore my class alarm. To avoid this, I have different sounds for different classes. Then my ADHD brain gets really excited at the new sound, then I feel awake. This is a personal preference.

Anyways, I hope this helps! Once again, these are just my opinion, unless stated by a source.

Resources:
“Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, adaa.org/tips/