During these two years of the pandemic, I've mysteriously become very anxious, experiencing severe insomnia. What should I do?

Hi there, It seems like your life has changed a lot since the outbreak of the epidemic. You're worried a lot that something might go wrong in your life. On the one hand, you care more about other people's feelings than your own. You're afraid of conflicts with others, so you've distanced yourself from the crowd and fallen in love with the feeling of living alone. On the other hand, you don't sleep well and always have random thoughts. If you occasionally feel relaxed, you're afraid of this relaxation. It seems like you're worried that if you let your guard down, something terrible will happen in the future.

On the other hand, I'll constantly think about whether I've done anything wrong. It seems like if I don't force myself to think about it, everything will fall apart, so that most of my life is spent in anxiety, panic, and self-doubt. I feel so sorry for you. You could have been living a comfortable and beautiful life, but suddenly everything has been turned upside down. You must feel very confused and helpless. I'm here for you.

It's important to remember that you're not the only one who has been through this. Many people have been struggling with the same issues. The epidemic has caused significant changes to the global economy, and we're all facing increased pressure. I understand how you feel. It's normal to feel this way. Many of us were used to a certain routine, with a stable income and a clear direction. Now, everything has changed. It's natural to feel uncertain about the future and experience anxiety and depression. It's challenging to make sense of it all. Tense emotions can affect every aspect of life. If this is the case, it's normal. The most important thing is how we face it and solve it.

The teacher can't get much more specific from just a few questions, but they still want to get you thinking about some things. This might help to ease your anxiety and help you to think more clearly. It'll help you to work out where the problem lies, rather than just thinking in a muddled way.

1: When do you start caring a lot about what other people think, becoming afraid of them, and distancing yourself from them in an interpersonal relationship? What happens in this process? What are you afraid of when you are anxious about others and care about what they think?

2: When you can't sleep, what are you thinking about?

3: Think about what you'd lose if you couldn't work for a day or had to stay home and do nothing. What would you do to avoid that?

Do you have a contingency plan?

4: If you don't think about anything and just stay as you are, or do something you like, what will happen in this hour, or even in this day?

5: If you don't do anything, does that mean you're not valuable? I'm sure you have more than just this one strength, right?

There aren't many questions above. I hope you can think about them deliberately. If you can, try not to completely trust the constant judging voice in your head. Instead, try to record it in words as much as possible. This will help you understand what you want, and writing things out is also a good way to sort things out. I believe that when you ask these questions and describe this process of how you feel, it will also make you feel a little more relaxed, right?

I hope these tips help. I'm happy to share them with you. If you have any follow-up questions, feel free to PM me. Best regards, [Name]

These two years have been stolen from us, and it's a wild ride! We've experienced a lot of "sudden" and "force majeure" events, and the past accumulated experiences have to be rebuilt, which is a great test for each of us. Whether you are a newborn baby, a 100-year-old person, or from a different class or industry, you are all facing the same predicament in these two years. Your cautiousness, fear, and social isolation are also what many people have to face together, so you are not alone in fighting against the predicament.

⭕️Living with anxiety, being cautious about things around us, and being meticulous about everything about ourselves are all manifestations of anxiety. This feeling is a reaction to the uncertainty of the future, and it often appears in our daily lives. This sense of anxiety allows us to prepare adequately for the uncertainty that lies ahead and to avoid bad things from happening to the greatest extent possible. However, the uncertainty caused by the current pandemic continues to hover over us, making it impossible for us to escape, and we cannot control the depth and intensity of our ever-increasing anxiety. But here's the good news! We can choose to embrace our anxiety rather than avoid it. We can accept that it's a natural reaction to an uncertain world. And we can take steps to manage it and live our lives to the fullest.

Since we cannot control it, we might as well accept our anxiety instead of avoiding it. Tell yourself that these are all normal reactions, and there is nothing wrong with being more careful! It's all part of the journey.

⭕️Embrace the challenge of navigating loss of control, whether it's the uncontrollable pandemic, the uncontrollable start of school, the uncontrollable arrangements for going out, or the uncontrollable anxiety we all face. When something you want to do is disrupted, it's an opportunity to reflect on what you can learn from it. Ask yourself: What are the implications and regrets of this?

What other options could there be? What could possibly go wrong?

Focus on the task at hand and get things sorted out as soon as possible! After all, the only constant in this world is change. The more you try to control it, the more out of control you will be. But you know what? Coping with change can also make me feel a sense of accomplishment!

⭕️Fighting against loneliness, we are forced to spend more time at home alone. We communicate more and more online without meeting each other in person. The long vacation we used to dream of without leaving home has finally come true! While we didn't choose it actively, we have unconsciously become accustomed to voice conferences and online communication and collaboration without seeing each other. In fact, face-to-face makes us feel strange and even fearful. But there's no need to be shy! Let's boldly break the ice and become the dominant force in socializing. Let's take action and replace thinking in bed with doing. Let's personally break the loneliness situation!

We will get hurt and frustrated, but it'll all be worth it in the end! There is no blank space in each stage, and we'll spend two years, or perhaps more, learning to face the uncertainty and vicissitudes of life, building a wonderful ability to coexist with bad emotions, experiencing the thrill of defeating loneliness, and rethinking the relationship between self and world in the process.

✨ You'll face many challenges in life, and this major trial at the current stage is just one of them. The good news is that you have lots of people walking alongside you, so hang in there!

OK, hello, thank you for asking. I am learning in silence.

After listening to your question, I can tell you're confused and anxious.

At the same time, living with this anxiety is very uncomfortable. I believe the purpose of your question is to alleviate your anxiety.

You need to return to a healthy, sunny, comfortable, and relaxed state of life.

First of all, the cause of the epidemic has forced us to change our lifestyle. And under this new lifestyle, you have developed a sense of anxiety.

Let's tackle your problem head-on. You ruminate daily, never relaxing, constantly worrying about potential missteps. The Analects of Confucius states, "If you study without thinking, you will be confused; if you think without studying, you will be in danger."

If we are just thinking without accepting new ideas, then our thoughts are like a tree without roots.

If water has no source, we cannot assume that our ideas are right.

You are also saying that your own ideas are wrong, or that some problems are wrong. This can put you in a contradictory situation, which is uncomfortable.

It's called self-doubt. We can learn to find the right path for our thoughts during the epidemic.

Read some good books. Listen to some good lectures.

During the pandemic, there is a lot of time spent alone. Use it to enrich your mind and give it something to latch on to by reading world classics or good books recommended by some big names.

I will now recommend a few good apps for listening to books and lectures. One book, one lesson.

Read with Feng Deng. Read with Kindle.

Try them. They're all good learning software. And of course, there's Meditation Planet.

I'll tell you another theory. If something you can't figure out yourself has been troubling you for so long,

You will only find someone or something stronger or more advanced than you to help you out of a difficult situation. Listen to a better teacher or read a higher-level book.

Meanwhile, learning new things and accepting new ideas when you are alone is indisputably more useful and healthier than your own wild thoughts.

I'll tell you one more thing: exercise is an effective way to ensure physical and mental health. It produces dopamine, which makes us happy and joyful.

You should do some exercises indoors with an aerobics instructor or yoga instructor. Meditation on the Meditation Planet is also a kind of exercise.

It's a simple relaxation exercise. If you don't have a source of thoughts to go on and just let your mind wander, it's dangerous.

We must learn more, learn better thoughts, and think about things. Keep yourself busy.

For example, you can do things like tidying up the house, doing the laundry, cooking, or learning a new skill.

These will relieve your anxiety.

You should also call your friends sometimes. You must have a few best friends.

It's also a great idea to chat with them every now and then.

I wish you a happy and enjoyable time. You will get out of your anxious state as soon as possible.

I've learned a new word: chronic anxiety. It's possible you're in that state.

You should also think about which of your emotions and feelings are repressed.

Express your feelings in a reasonable and appropriate way. You will feel a lot better.

You can also learn some psychology. It's not just about asking questions.

You can also follow the book club and whale selection members on Yixin. You will become someone who studies psychology, starting from a questioner.

You can even help others. This is helping yourself by helping others.

I love you, world. Thank you for asking.

Hello, question asker!

After reading your description, I feel that the questioner has an excellent way of thinking, is excellent at summarizing and analyzing, and can promptly detect problems and promptly find ways to solve them—what a great skill set!

The pandemic has indeed brought us inconvenience and feelings of anxiety. But it hasn't stopped there! I'm curious, apart from the pandemic, what has happened to make you feel this way? And what kind of strength has allowed the questioner to persevere in such an uncomfortable situation?

I've got a few questions for the questioner:

In the past two years, the questioner has become a little anxious due to the pandemic. The questioner is working hard to control his emotions and thoughts and is excited to see what results will come from experience and instinct!

I'd love to know more about this!

The questioner in ② said that at one time, they were worried about something going wrong in their lives and also about conflicts with other people.

So when did this situation start? When are you not afraid? When you don't have these worries, what efforts do you make?

The questioner said that they care about other people's feelings, which is a great quality! They also said that they sometimes alienate people, but that's okay because we all do that sometimes. And they said that they are obsessed with being alone, which is a good thing because it means they have a lot of time to think. They think a lot in bed during the day and have trouble falling asleep at night, but that's okay too because it means they're thinking about something important.

This first shows that the questioner is a person with delicate feelings, which is a wonderful thing! People with delicate feelings are more sensitive, which is great because it means you can really connect with other people on a deep level. When you are alone, what meaningful things do you do to make you feel comfortable? What were you doing when you were thinking a lot during the day, and what did you do at night?

The questioner said that they observe themselves in great detail and judge themselves from a different perspective. They're learning to relax, because they know that something good will happen if they do!

After combing through it, I can totally feel the questioner's anxiety and nervous tension, just as the questioner said at the end: "I didn't think like this before." So, what was the questioner's state before?

I'm excited to hear what you've done!

The questioner asked if it was caused by doing nothing in bed during the day, and I think that is partly the reason.

I'd love to ask you, the questioner, what your overall assessment of yourself is. Do you love yourself?

The pandemic has everyone on edge, but there's no need to worry! My hypnosis master has a saying: "The more difficult the situation, the more important it is to focus."

I don't know the specific situation of the questioner, but I'm excited to share some tips to relieve anxiety and help them!

Get moving when you can!

I don't know what the situation is with the questioner, who can lie in bed during the day. But I do know that getting up and moving around is a great way to combat those idle thoughts and get a good night's sleep! Try some exercise, like fitness, yoga, or tai chi. You'll feel great!

This is a great way to distract yourself, get some exercise, let off steam, stop daydreaming, and help you sleep at night!

② Accept yourself!

Once we accept and understand ourselves, we can devote our energy to taking action! We can stop fighting emotions like remorse, guilt, and regret.

First, when we have negative thoughts and emotions, accept them and say to them, "I know, I'll deal with it later, for now I need to concentrate on finishing this." And most importantly, learn to affirm yourself and your past efforts, even if they did not meet expectations. It is on this premise that we can regain our motivation to start again—and start again we will!

Let's make it a habit to tell ourselves, "Today, I am already the best I can be!"

And now for something really exciting! Discover and explore the small successes.

In your daily life, whenever you feel a small sense of achievement or receive feedback from the outside world, it's a great idea to write it down in a timely manner in a "gratitude diary" (I personally use a "happy things" notebook). You can look back and review it often in the future!

Be excellent at discovering the beauty and fun in life!

Some people have a plain life, some have a glamorous life, some have a miserable life, and some have a passionate life... It's not that life itself is problematic, but whether we can see the beauty and interesting points in life. Perspective determines the direction of life. If you look at the people and scenery around you in a different way, and go somewhere else to change your mood, you will discover that life is actually really multifaceted—and it's all up to you to decide which facets you want to embrace!

fifth, get ready to adjust your mindset and unite your mind and body!

If you do everything you say you will every day and always follow through on your words, you will be amazed at how quickly your self-confidence will soar! Following through on your words is all about doing what you say you will do.

It doesn't matter if you're helping others or helping yourself. When your heart and your words are in harmony, it means that what you say completely matches your inner emotional feelings.

⑥ Believe in the incredible power of accumulation!

No matter how big the stone is, it cannot stop the seed from sprouting! Once the seed starts to sprout, the division of cells begins, and it never stops. Everyone knows the truth that water can wear away a stone through dripping, but no one seems to believe it. People at the starting point are like a cell or a drop of water, but most people mistakenly believe or hope that they are strong and sharp like a laser beam at the starting point. This is an unrealistic expectation, but it's also an exciting one!

Embrace the journey! Cultivate patience through learning and use it to wait for the incredible benefits and strength that can be gained after long-term accumulation.

Life is in your hands! Don't overthink what you want to create for yourself. The more you think about it, the less you'll do. Trust yourself and get moving!

I highly recommend that the questioner try meditation and deep breathing, and also read the book Coping with Anxiety.

If you feel like you can't resolve it on your own, don't worry! You can always seek help from a professional counselor.

Good day. I extend my best wishes to you from a distance.

It is also important to recognise your clear awareness of your emotional state, as this is an essential first step in effecting positive change.

The pandemic has not only altered our lifestyles significantly but has also prompted us to reflect on the value and meaning of life. It has challenged some of our long-held beliefs about life, such as the idea of "living in the moment." In addition to embracing the present, it is crucial to plan for the future to better navigate the uncertainties of life.

In light of the ongoing pandemic, it has become clear that there is a need for individuals to develop the ability to cope with uncertainty in a way that is both effective and sustainable. This requires a shift in mindset, whereby we can work hard in relatively certain situations while remaining calm and in control when faced with uncertainty.

It is important to note that this kind of anxiety and unease about the uncertainty of the future must be appropriate to the individual's situation in order to better motivate the individual to prepare for the uncertainty and work hard. Otherwise, it may affect the individual's ability to adapt to normal study, work, and life, and they may become consumed by excessive anxiety and emotional distress.

As you have described it, it is evident that you are experiencing a mild maladaptive anxiety, which is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder that often accompanies epidemics.

It is important to recognize that these uncomfortable emotional feelings are a normal part of the human experience. Allowing yourself to obsessively imagine these feelings and try to stay with them can help you understand the underlying psychological needs they represent. For instance, the desire to be accepted, needed, and supported, a sense of certainty, fear of abandonment, and loss of control are all common emotions that many of us experience at one point or another.

It is also recommended that you record your emotions in writing by keeping an emotional diary. This will not only make your emotions visible, expressible, and releaseable, but it will also help you to better perceive and understand your emotions and explore the hidden needs behind them, so that you can better respond to and meet your needs.

Additionally, the following methods may be employed to alleviate anxiety and insomnia:

1. Progressive relaxation exercises. The objective is to relax the body in a systematic manner, beginning with the head, then the arms, and finally the legs. This can be achieved by taking deep breaths or listening to soothing music.

2. Desensitization exercises: Envision confronting scenarios or occurrences that elicit feelings of apprehension, distress, or unease. Gradually intensify the level of the stimulus until you reach a point where you no longer experience these emotions in response to it.

3. Confidence Training: Confidence training is an effective method for enhancing resilience.

One strategy for fostering resilience is to maintain a gratitude diary and strive to be irreplaceable in your areas of expertise and passion.

4. Cultivate some interests and passions in your life to enhance your overall contentment and fulfillment.

Provided it makes you feel more accepting of yourself, confident, and relaxed, you are encouraged to give it a try.

My name is Lily, the youngest member of the Q&A Museum team. I extend my personal regards to you all, and wish you well.

Hello, Everyone has been affected by the pandemic.

I can tell you're anxious, and your sleep has been affected. It seems like you need to boost your energy in many ways.

Review and sort out your problems. Your life needs to be reorganized. Give yourself a change of mood. Even cleaning the room, sorting out old clothes, cleaning the corners, or cleaning the toilet and sink can help. It may seem unrelated to your problems, but cleaning the room really cleans the mind. This process is tiring, but afterwards you'll feel exhilarated and relieved.

The pandemic and everyday stress can cause anxiety, idleness, and wild thoughts, which can lead to depression and feeling powerless. Stress makes our minds heavier. Cleaning the house is a process of reorganizing our thoughts and breaking away from attachments.

What can I do?

Your current situation may be more about thinking than doing. The more you think, the more tired you will feel and the less willing you will be to take action. Only action can break the cycle.

You said sleep is affected by money and mental stress. Both are important.

I hope you understand.