The coronavirus pandemic has most everyone feeling anxious and I recognize there is no magic solution to dispel these anxious feelings. Veterinary healthcare team members are working diligently to recognize and allay anxiety in pet owners. But what about the anxiety veterinary team members are feeling? How are we dealing with our own anxieties?<\/p>\n
The veterinary profession prior to the COVID-19 outbreak knew that psychological stress was a health hazard for professionals.1\u00a0 <\/sup>Studies have shown that it is not only substantial disruptions to a person\u2019s personal and social life which affect mental health, but also minor daily events, work hassles, family problems and physical health status which play a role.2<\/sup> Add to this an unparalleled global pandemic resulting in massive uncertainty, and veterinary team members are at their breaking point\u2014all while trying to maintain a calm demeanor and remain compassionate and empathetic with our frazzled clients.<\/p>\n Typically, anxiety helps individuals prepare to respond in a more adaptive and healthy way. Think about it\u2014in the past we may have found it possible to tolerate some degree of discomfort but still manage anxiety in a healthy manner.3<\/sup><\/p>\n This is a result of our life experiences. But this is not a typical situation. Veterinary team members are balancing competing demands, caring for our patients, caring for pet owners, caring for our families, and caring for ourselves.<\/p>\n What steps can we take to alleviate anxiety?<\/p>\n Many people are suffering from anxiety due to the global coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":187,"featured_media":5050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[211],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-exclusive","clinical_topics-news","clinical_topics-practice-management"],"acf":{"hide_sidebar":false,"hide_sidebar_ad":false,"hide_all_ads":false},"yoast_head":"\n\n