Covid Numbers Can Be All-Consuming. Here's How To Deal With Them
Living through a pandemic means daily exposure to news of Covid-19 deaths.
Each newly released figure represents the individual bereavements of so many families involved, but as the numbers rise to previously unthinkable levels, they can also be distressing and confusing to everyone, whether or not you’ve lost anyone close to you.
Even as the global coronavirus death toll surpasses one million and we witness the highest rise in cases for months in the UK, health officials are pointing out that headline figures are statistically flawed and inaccurate, due to a percentage of coronavirus deaths not being officially classified.
It’s easy to get sucked into number watching – and it can be overwhelming. The daily, weekly and monthly death figures are a stark reminder of the dangers of Covid-19, and the reasons why we are being asked to follow rules and accept ongoing restrictions to our lives.
So what’s the best way to stay informed and make sense of the numbers without letting them totally consume us?
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Focus on what we do know
Speculation is at an all-time high – in conversations among friends and family, in government updates and interviews, and across the media – because the pandemic is an ever-changing situation. No wonder coronavirus anxiety levels are through the roof and our brains are feeling a little frazzled right now.
“The important thing is to put everything into context. Focus on what we do know and not on what we don’t know,” psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami, who specialises in anxiety and resilience, tells HuffPost UK. “Although the pandemic is very central to our lives, it’s still only part of our lives.”
Recognise what we can and can’t control. “We might not be able to control the spread of the virus except in our very immediate surroundings, but we can...
