Develop solid mindfulness practices proactively to build resilience, which helps you fare well even during stressful times and is a key differentiator for managing anxiety and addiction effectively.
Explore and map out your mind’s habit loops (trigger, behavior, reward) for any unhelpful pattern, especially those related to anxiety or cravings, to illuminate how your mind operates and enable you to stop perpetuating these loops.
When an urge or craving arises, cultivate curiosity about what it feels like in your body and mind, as this act of curious awareness itself can be more rewarding than acting on the urge, helping you avoid being “owned” by every impulse.
When an urge (e.g., to eat, smoke, worry) arises, sit and formally meditate on it, noticing it as sensations and thoughts that come and go, to learn that these urges are transient and you don’t have to act on them.
In the moment of an urge, pay close attention as you perform the action (e.g., eating an Oreo), noticing the taste, feel, and the actual reward or result. This direct awareness helps you see if the behavior is truly rewarding, quickly reducing its appeal.
Pay close attention to the actual results and reward value of a behavior (e.g., eating one cookie versus six), allowing your body to inform you when it’s “enough” or “too much.” This helps reduce the behavior’s appeal over time by seeing the cause-and-effect relationship.
Practice reflecting on your behavior: ideally before you act, then during the action, and if not possible, definitely after. Reflecting afterward helps you learn from the cause-and-effect relationship without self-judgment, disenchanting you from unhelpful habits.
Recall the suffering caused by past unhelpful behaviors (e.g., overeating, excessive news checking) to naturally motivate yourself to practice mindfulness and make healthier choices, rather than relying on willpower or feeling obligated.
Engage in consistent formal meditation practice (daily-ish) to lower overall anxiety levels, and then apply informal, in-the-moment mindfulness to address urges as they arise, as these two approaches complement each other effectively.
Practice simple mindfulness by bringing your awareness into your feet, noticing sensations like warmth or cold. This can serve as an “anxiety-free zone” and a calming anchor, especially when focusing on breathing might feel less calm-inducing.
When struggling with a habit or emotional memory, shift your focus from “why is this happening” (past-oriented) to “what is happening right now” (present-oriented), because you can only take action on what is occurring in the present moment.
When old emotional memories arise, bring in mindfulness to notice them as thoughts, body sensations, or memories, and gently remind yourself “I’m safe now” to prevent them from gaining additional emotional charge and becoming re-traumatizing.
Use apps like “Eat Right Now,” “Craving to Quit,” or “Unwinding Anxiety” to get structured support and guidance for managing specific habits or addictions. These apps are designed to help people notice habit loops and ride out urges.
If you are struggling with mental health issues or addiction, seek out a good therapist or mental health specialist who can provide support, answer questions, and help you process experiences. Telemedicine can increase accessibility.
For addiction recovery or mental health support, leverage online platforms like Zoom for group meetings (e.g., AA, 12-step) to maintain crucial connection and support, especially when in-person meetings are not feasible or accessible.
If possible and safe, consider forming small, in-person support groups (4-5 people) with proper social distancing precautions, as an alternative to larger meetings, to foster connection and mutual support.
Recognize that your brain naturally seeks information (like news) for survival and planning, and give yourself grace for this tendency, rather than trying to force yourself to stop. Understanding this is a natural mechanism.
Understand that news feeds are designed like slot machines, exploiting your brain’s natural drive for information with intermittent rewards. This makes you highly vulnerable to checking compulsively, especially during uncertain times like a pandemic.
When you overindulge or “go too far” with a habit, approach it with kindness and self-compassion, asking “What can I learn from this?” rather than hiding it or beating yourself up, to facilitate learning and change.
Recognize that widespread anxiety during stressful times can foster greater empathy for those who struggle with mental health issues, potentially reducing stigma and increasing understanding at a population level.