I'm Experiencing Anxiety About A Potential Bird Flu Pandemic. What Can I Do?

Question: I'm Experiencing Anxiety About A Potential Bird Flu Pandemic. What Can I Do?

Answer: Worry is a difficult emotion to deal with. It can be positive in that it motivates you to act when necessary, but too much worry can be debilitating. Where do you draw the line between healthy and unhealthy amounts of worry? A healthy remedy to anxiety is to take action. Concerns generally become unhealthy at the point where they no longer push us to make healthy changes (either because we’re paralyzed by anxiety or because certain events are out of our control).

In the case of bird flu and the possibility of a flu pandemic, it’s not unrealistic to have fears. Looking into the facts of bird flu yields some pretty scary facts: yes, we could all be in danger of catching a virus that has a death rate over 50%! However, rather than stewing in the anxiety that this causes and letting your fear immobilize you, or avoiding any information on this situation altogether, a healthier response would be to let your concern motivate you to make the changes necessary to be prepared for a potential pandemic.

How can you prepare for something like a flu pandemic? The most important step you can take is to make a plan for yourself and your family that focuses on avoiding transmission of the disease and dealing with temporary changes in living conditions that come with a pandemic. Experts recommend that you have at least a two-week supply of food and clean water, as well as chlorine, masks (with a good seal around the face), latex gloves, a radio with plenty of batteries, and first aid supplies, as well as a stash of cash on hand to use in case of emergencies. For a more detailed plan, About’s Bird Flu expert has a series on bird flu preparation basics.

Once you’ve prepared yourself and your family (and for the really ambitious, your company or community), you’ve done all you can, and should find it easier to let go of the anxiety associated with the future’s negative possibilities. If you find yourself experiencing stress at the thought of a pandemic, remind yourself that you’re as prepared as you can be, and focus on something else. At this point, you can also try some stress relief strategies that can help you feel more centered and at peace, such as prayer or meditation, journaling about your feelings, or listening to music. If you still find yourself concerned on a constant basis, you may want to talk to someone about it, either a friend, or a professional, depending on how severe your worry is and how much it’s affecting your overall stress level.

The main idea is to change what you can, and then just let it go.