Coronavirus anxiety is a normal response. Here are ways to cope

Coronavirus anxiety is a normal response. Here are ways to cope

“People are much more protected — but also more worried, because they think the situation is more serious than a few days ago.”

SUSAN SCHWARTZ, MONTREAL GAZETTE 

Updated: March 17, 2020

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We’re told to work from home. Schools, gyms and libraries are closed. And if we’re so inclined, we can watch the count of people with COVID-19, the influenza-like illness that has made its way from China around the world, go up from one minute to the next.

Objectively, one can understand how a pandemic causes anxiety, says Tina Montreuil, an assistant professor in McGill University’s department of educational and counselling psychology and a clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety disorders.

Anxiety is a normal response in the face of COVID-19, much of which is unknown and seems beyond our control. And some anxiety can be productive, in making us vigilant and having us modify our behaviour in ways that will protect us – like washing our hands and keeping a social distance from one another, said clinical psychologist Dr. Christine Grou, president of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec.

“The more you normalize anxiety, the less you view it as a problem and the less it is going to be amplified,” Montreuil told the Montreal Gazette on Monday. “A small amount of anxiety enables me to be prepared, alert to what has to get done and to be motivated to do so.”

Too much anxiety, however, is not good — on many levels. It causes people to stop being rational and we anticipate negative, or catastrophic, scenarios, Grou said.

Anxiety is a concern for something that could happen, but there is a disconnect between the probability that it will happen and the fear that it will, she said in an interview on Monday. “What the mind imagines is infinitely worse than the reality.”

Cognitively, too much anxiety is not good because it keeps us from thinking rationally and, by extension, behaving rationally, Montreuil said. Think hoarding toilet paper or, worse, fighting over it.

Too much anxiety can cause people to stop being rational and anticipate negative, or catastrophic, scenarios, says Dr. Christine Grou, president of Quebec’s Order of Psychologists. ORDRE DES PSYCHOLOGUES DU QUÉBEC

“When we see everyone running to empty the shelves in stores, we start to be afraid that we will not have enough food, we are afraid of shortages and we think that, if everyone else is stockpiling, we will be the only ones who will go without,” Grou said.

And too much anxiety is not good for our health because the more anxious we are, the more our brain secretes a hormone called cortisol, which acts to suppress the immune system and our ability to fight infection.

“When we are very anxious, we tend to get sick more easily,” Montreuil said.

“We all have a threshold for how tolerant we are of uncertainty, but some people have a greater need for control,” she explained. “People who are intolerant of uncertainty get excessively anxious. They say ‘What if this?’ or ‘What if that?’”

They see a a situation as more dire than it actually is, Montreuil said.

Last week’s announcements by the provincial government of a range of measures, from school closings to a ban on visits to residences for seniors, had a paradoxical effect, Grou said.

“Now people are much more protected — but also more worried, because they think the situation is more serious than a few days earlier,” she said.

But human beings are an adaptable bunch. “People learned that the schools were closed and people were afraid; Friday was the worst day. Parents had kids at home, grandparents who couldn’t look after them,” Grou said. “Then they took the weekend, and by Monday things seemed better.

“The news is less new.” People are still anxious, but the anxiety is no longer at a peak, she said.

We cannot control how the virus will spread or how many will be affected, said Grou and Montreuil. But there are things we can control, like washing our hands and keeping a distance from one another to be safe and keep others safe — and doing pleasurable things that divert some of our worry so we remain grounded.

“When we are very anxious, we tend to get sick more easily,” says Dr. Tina Montreuil Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University. JOHN KENNEY / MONTREAL GAZETTE

Relaxing and simply breathing. Keeping your body calm. Getting out for a walk. The gym is off-limits but many online workout options exist. Shopping for groceries, without hoarding. Watching a television series: Go for light rather than apocalyptic, Grou suggests. Reading. FaceTiming a friend. Knitting. Colouring with your kids.

It’s important to be informed about COVID-19 developments but to be overexposed to the news cycle serves only to make people more anxious, Grou said, and “gives one the impression that things are worse than they are.” Check the news a few times a day, not constantly.

Finally, if you still feel overwhelmed, consider seeking professional help. People can connect remotely with therapists through such services as Skype or Zoom.

“When you need help,” said Grou, “psychologists are there to help you.”

sschwartz@postmedia.com

Note to readers: We know the speed and volume of coronavirus-related news is overwhelming and a little frightening. To help with that, we will have Montreal Gazette reporter Andy Riga devote his time to synthesizing the most important coronavirus-related news, especially as it relates to life in Montreal and Quebec. Follow his live updates here. All our coronavirus-related news can always be found here: montrealgazette.com/tag/coronavirus.

Sign up for our new email newsletter dedicated to local coronavirus coverage here: https://montrealgazette.com/coronavirusnews

How to improve your memory

https://www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/a-memory-expert-shares-tips-for-improving-your-recall-abilities-1.5429987?cmp=newsletter_CBCNewsletter&cmp=newsletter-Feb.6.2020-eNewsletter

A memory expert shares tips for improving your recall abilities

Working on your trained memory can help with everything from names to long-term learning

RJ Skinner · CBC Life · Posted: Jan 16, 2020 5:31 PM ET | Last Updated: January 16

(Credit: iStock/Getty Images)

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“I’m sorry, what’s your name again?” It’s an embarrassing question for both parties, but especially frustrating for the forgetful one. With all the information we take in on a daily basis, these little lapses are irritating but inevitable, right? Maybe not. 

While it’s unlikely that you can remember every day crystal clearly (like those who have HSAM, Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory), there are strategies for improving memory retention outside of fighting memory loss associated with aging. We asked Francis Blondin, two-time Canadian Memory Champion and board member of the Canadian Mind Sports Association, for his insight on the different kinds of memory and where we might be able to focus our brain building efforts.

Natural vs. trained memory

Blondin highlights the distinction between “memory as a natural ability that we all possess to varying degrees, versus memorization, as a skill that you can learn to get better at.” He says, “It’s not the same thing, and you can become extremely good at memorizing stuff, even if you happen to be born with below average memory.” Though you can improve your natural memory through lifestyle, Blondin says natural memory abilities are largely dependent on your genes. Your trained memory, however, “can be spectacularly improved almost without limits.” 

“I can spend hours reciting all the thousands of things I have stored in various memory palaces,” he says. More on memory palaces later. “When I’m at my peak, I can memorize 100 digits in less than a minute. And yet, I swear that my natural memory is still, to this day, nothing special at all. Just yesterday I ruined my coffee maker by forgetting it on the stove long enough for the plastic handle to melt.” So, even if you don’t think your natural memory is all that great, there’s still a lot you can do.

Types of memory

Blonding took us through the different kinds of memory and their functions.

Implicit and explicit memory

“Explicit memory is what you can say out loud: ‘Newton was an important scientist'” says Blondin. “Implicit is everything else.” He offers these examples: “The feeling that you probably should avoid falling off a cliff or putting your hands on a hot stove is a form of implicit memory. So is every ability you’ve learned to perform, like riding a bike or tying your shoelaces.”

Procedural memory

Procedural memory describes a specific kind of implicit memory that includes all the abilities you’ve developed. Blondin says these include “how to read and write, how to hold a fork and again, how to ride a bike.” To better develop these abilities, Blondin points to K. Anders Ericsson’s concept of deliberate practice — focused, systematic practice to optimize performance.

Sensory memory

“That’s all the thousands of bits of data that we’re perceiving all the time through our senses,” says Blondin. “Of this almost-infinite amount of data, 99+ per cent will be forgotten in half a second, but your brain will select a few things that, for various reasons, seem to be worthy of attention.” This isn’t typically the kind of memory you try to improve, but Blondin offers the example of “people who are passionate about cooking, over time, will develop a more powerful sensory memory for different tastes.”

Short-term and working memory

Short-term and working memory are terms often used interchangeably, though the two have complex distinctions that are still being analyzed. In simple terms, working memory can be seen as a pattern or a process, while short-term memory is more focused on duration. “Working memory is what you use in real time to consciously remember something, analyze something or perform an action,” Blondin says. Working memory also involves your ability to group data into chunks. Blondin uses the example of learning how to speak French. “At the beginning, saying the word bibliothèque might necessitate most of your working memory capacity.” You might need to break the word into multiple chunks: bi – blio – thèque. With time and practice, you’ll be able to say a full sentence containing the word bibliothèque, while also thinking about what comes next. “Improving your working memory is like improving your IQ,” he says, “it’s pretty damn hard. I think it’s possible, but it’s not something most people should focus on.”

Episodic memory

Episodic memory is everything involved in “remembering your life and what happened to you,” Blondin says. “Although episodic memory is stored in your brain differently than factual knowledge, there isn’t much difference between the tips and tricks I would give to someone hoping to better remember their life.”

Semantic memory

Semantic memory covers areas like factual knowledge, words, numbers, concepts and so on. Blondin says, “This is most people’s main area of focus when they say they worry about their memory. All the tips I’ve provided will help tremendously.”

Tips for improving your memory

Learn to focus on just one thing at a time (at least for a moment)

“Your ability to concentrate is crucial for memorizing and for most important cognitively-demanding forms of work,” Blondin says. “Your ability to focus can be trained and it can be improved. If you’re a student and you want to learn and remember a lot, you need to get your cell phone and internet addiction under control. Those quick, 30-second checks of your email are much more damaging to your concentration than you can imagine.” Blondin suggests giving yourself at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted focus before taking a short break. “Ideally those short breaks should be for walking around, breathing, chatting with someone or eating,” he says, “not for your emails or anything that will keep capturing your attention when you try to go back to work.”

Don’t just listen or read — test yourself

“To remember something long-term, the two most important concepts you need to know are retrieval practice and spaced repetition,” says Blondin. “Retrieval practice is basically just testing yourself. Don’t just reread your notes, close your book and see how much you can recall without any aid. That’s not just a way to verify what has been remembered, it’s also an extremely powerful way to learn. You can read and reread a million books and spend a million years sitting in class, but very little of what you’ve read and heard will stick if you don’t make an effort to actively process and recall the information.” Even if your goals aren’t academic, Blodin says, “You should still use retrieval practice by asking yourself questions like ‘What’s my credit card number?’ or ‘What’s the name of that guy again?'”.

Spaced repetitions for long-term learning

Spaced repetition is a systematic review system. Blondin says, “On the first day, you review [something] as much as you need to in order to make sure you won’t forget it after a few hours. One or two reviews will be enough for that purpose most of the time. Then you review once the following day. Then you start spacing out the reviews.” He suggests a three day interim, then seven days, then one month, two months, three months and so on. “Eventually, just two reviews a year can be enough,” Blondin believes. “You can become really good at memorizing and at building memory palaces, but you’ll still forget most of what you learn if you never review. That’s not a problem if you just want to do something once, like a presentation or an exam, but for long-term learning, there’s no getting around the fact that you need to review.” Blondin also recommends using spaced repetition software (like Anki or Quizlet) to help you along. Spaced repetition and retrieval practice can be combined to help you “remember amazing amounts of information,” says Blondin.

Mnemonics and memory palaces

“There are many things you can learn using just focused attention, direct associations, logic, understanding and your natural memory,” Blondin says. “However, there are also a lot of facts, difficult words, names, numbers and concepts that won’t easily stick.” For those, Blondin suggests using mnemonics, where your brain transforms something difficult to remember into something “your strange brain can remember much more easily.” 

With names he says, “It’s easy enough if I just heard it and it’s floating around in my short-term memory, but I’ll forget it in a few seconds if I don’t make an effort. How can I make this name more memorable?” He suggests adding associations and imagery. The name “Bob”, for example, might conjure an image of bobbing for apples. Blondin says, “That quickly improvised image will transform what’s initially a bunch of mostly meaningless sounds into something funny and easy to remember.” He points to a New York Times article that breaks down the process in depth.

Similar in practice, the memory palace technique consists of vividly visualizing an environment you know very well, like your bedroom, and associating information you need to memorize with it (eg. your credit card number is in the sock drawer). Then, when you walk through that environment again in your mind, that information will be in place for you to retrieve.

These tips don’t have to be flawless to have the desired effect. “To paraphrase someone else,” says Blondin, “memory techniques work even when they don’t work. Just the fact that you’re paying attention to something and you’re playing around with it is enough to drastically improve your odds of remembering.”

Lifestyle practices

“Both meditation and physical exercise will help improve your memory and your ability to focus,” says Blondin, “but that’s just one of at least 50 different reasons why you should start developing those two habits.” Blondin suggests that even one minute per day of meditation can have an impact.

“Diet is, of course, very important for all kinds of reasons,” notes Blondin, “but as long as you have a relatively healthy diet, I don’t think eating one thing instead of another has a big effect on memory. I know at least one former World Memory Champion with a terrible diet.” 

Sleep is at the top of Blondin’s recommended lifestyle practices. He thinks that getting sufficient sleep, and quality of sleep, is the single most important thing you can do for your health, your mood, your energy level and your ability to focus and memorize. Blondin highlights the work of Matthew Walker for more on the importance of sleep. “It will help a lot with every single thing in your life, including your memory. It’s possible to cram for an exam all night long and perform alright, but don’t confuse that with real learning. Real learning requires sleep both before, for focus, and after, for consolidation. Without that, nothing will stick.”

Have any memory tips you’d like to share? Brain questions for our experts? Don’t forget and let us know in the comments.

Food for thought?

What a relief when the following happens –

  • We get indoors on a cold and wet day
  • We still have hydro when the power flickers
  • We didn’t put on any weight despite the cake and cookies we ate last night
  • The boss didn’t spot the mistake we made on the documents
  • We got an okay mark for that test even though we didn’t study
  • The tests came back clear with a solid negative from the Dr.
  • We got our tax return done and are expecting a huge refund
  • We got over that illness that had us bed ridden all week
  • The economy hasn’t crashed despite the political issues of the week
  • I avoided that car crash
  • I am sure you are now thinking of other reliefs you felt ….

Keep on feeling happy is the moral of this posting.

Memories … living in the present moment

Advice from memory experts:

I read this from an email I received, and I thought I would post it for you all….

By: DR

… A few months ago, I was having some issues dealing with my mother’s declining memory. I went back to the fine counselors who work at AGI (Alzheimer’s Groupe Inc). I had been there before, referred by a friend who was dealing with similar issues and I found their perspective very helpful. I was speaking with one of the counselors about several matters, but one of the big questions I had was whether it was wise to take my mother on a long trip to Israel. Whether the memory issues would be exacerbated by the many changes related to the travel. The counselor asked me the following question: “will your mother enjoy the trip, while she’s on the trip?” The answer was yes, I knew she’d enjoy being with family and being in Israel. She then continued: “I know you teach yoga, but your mother is going to teach you the ultimate lesson about living in the present moment; don’t worry about the process (as long as she is healthy enough to get through the actual travel); and don’t worry about what she’ll remember (or not).  Live for the pleasure of the present moment.“
 

Live for the pleasure of the present moment.

THANK YOU.