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On March 11th, 2020 COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic but accompanying the spread of the disease is a global rise in stress and anxiety levels. This comes at no surprise. We've all seen international news clips that feature plummeting markets, makeshift morgues, and senior citizens who not only die alone but whose families are prevented from giving them a proper burial. 

It's no wonder that mental health professionals worldwide have commented that never before have they taken on something of this magnitude. And it's not just worrying about worrying's sake because stress can affect the immune system making it less efficient, not just in the short term but in the long term. It Affects our behaviors so that we don't sleep, eat, or drink enough water. It can also cause some to drink too much. Ultimately stress is involved with the reduction of neurohormones that can affect the brain. 

And if Belizeans hadn't been going through it before, it hit us this week one we'd confirmed our first imported case of COVID-19.

We went looking for some coping mechanisms and spoke to Christa Courtenay, director of Monarch Counseling & Consulting. Courtenay, a counselor herself says it's important to recognize that when panic is going on, it's important to re-frame: Â Ã‚ 

Again resources for coping with stress and rising anxiety levels around the current global pandemic for the Belize context can be found at mindhealthconnect.com and monarchbelize.com