The Global Pandemic has affected stability economically, politically, and in our health as well, including the human psyche. The psyche is the unconscious as well as conscious mind, that encompasses emotions and its effects on a person. The declination of the human psyche has negatively affected the mind/ heart, correlating to an increase in anxiety.

The Psyche and the Heart

In Chinese medicine, the Heart houses the Mind, or the Shen, because the Heart represents the Mind/Shen. The mind is responsible for thinking, cognition, consciousness, insight, emotions, self-identity, memory as well as emotions. Therefore, a patient is diagnosed with anxiety, through the heart meridian as a main channel of choice. Symptoms of anxiety include palpitations. These heart patterns are a result from heart qi deficiency, heart blood deficiency, and even heart yin and yang deficiency.

The Coronavirus and Anxiety

High anxiety levels correlates with the increased uncertainty of employment, shelter, economics, the virus, and vaccines to name a few. Individuals with higher risk include: children, the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, essential and healthcare workers, and individuals with a history of anxiety.  Symptoms to “COVID-19 anxiety” include: restlessness, stress, nervousness, upset stomach, constant worrying and feeling overwhelmed to name a few.  

Anxiety in the mind causes a tense feeling, nervous or unable to relax. During the coronavirus, there is dread, fear for the worst, and even feeling like the world is passing you by.

During this pandemic, many have adopted dysfunctional beliefs in terms of health and illness as well as maladaptive coping behaviors. Harmful consequences manifest as social withdrawal, overspending on Personal Protective Equipment, and overspending on over-the-counter medications, supplements, toilet paper. In some cases, these constant obstructive behaviors have led to obsessive compulsive disorders which can be a result of anxiety.  

Coping with anxiety

Proactive measures to cope with anxiety are: meditation, connecting with loved ones, make adjustments to your daily routine, exercise, and making an appointment to see an acupuncturist or even reach out to acupuncture is my life. It’s important to be proactive about your health especially with anxiety disorder because it can interfere with various aspects of your life such as employment, your personal life, and even relationships. As a state licensed, board certified doctor of acupuncture, I consider using acupoints on the heart channel when treating anxiety to affect emotional stress as a result of feeling anxious and tonifying the heart qi to affect thinking. Additionally, there are acupoints on the bladder channel, the conception and Governing vessels that affect emotional stress, and calm the mind in anxiety and insomnia. Acupuncture is great for COVID-19 anxiety. share your experience with anxiety as a result of this pandemic, feel free to leave it in the comment section below.