JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 31

very helpless and like they
don’t have any control over the
situation.
”
Now, Michiganders are
growing irritable. Schwartz
is seeing a lot of “when is
this going to be over?”-type
thinking, with frustration
mounting over rapidly
changing guidance from the
CDC.
“The information changes
every day, which seems to
also create anxiety for people
because nobody knows what
the right answer is anymore,
”
she says. “There are those
concerns and worries that
people aren’t doing what
they’re supposed to be doing
[because of that].
”
When it comes to how
people are actually handling
the Omicron surge, though,
Schwartz says the response
is mixed. Some people have
chosen to quarantine once
more and remain in mostly
isolated settings, while others
are choosing to go on with
their lives as planned.

AN INCREASE IN
HYPOCHONDRIA
It’s also a challenging time for
people to accurately gauge
their symptoms, which is
leading to an increase in
hypochondria, Schwartz says.
“
Any little symptom that you
normally wouldn’t think twice
about… ‘Is it COVID?’ is the
next thought that comes to
your head. Health anxiety has
significantly increased because
just about anything can be a
symptom at this point.
”
The uptick in anxiety can
also blur the lines between
stress-related symptoms and
those caused by virus or illness
because anxiety can also
cause things like headaches,
stomachaches, fatigue and
a general feeling of being
rundown. All these factors

combined mean it’s more
important than ever for people
to prioritize their mental
health, Schwartz says, and to
practice self-care.
“Self-care is important and
making sure that you are
doing things for your health,
”
she explains. “Remember that
this time of the year is hardest
on everybody in Michigan, so
you have to make sure you’re
eating healthy, exercising and
socializing, whether that’s
in-person or virtually.
”

FINDING BALANCE
Communication is key during
this difficult time, so being
able to have open discussions
with loved ones about your
personal comfort level matters.
“People are still across
the board in terms of where
their comfort level is with
[Omicron],
” Schwartz says. “I
don’t think there’s any right
or wrong; I think you just do
whatever you’re comfortable
with.
”
The best way to handle
that approach, Schwartz
recommends, is to find
balance.
“You can be talking about
it too much and focusing on
it too much, and that’s not
healthy,
” she says. “It can be
hard to find that balance when
that’s all you see on TV and
read; but at the same time, you
have to talk about how you
feel because you can’t keep it
inside. That’s not good for you
either.
”
Ultimately, it’s essential
to do what’s right for you,
Schwartz says. “Make sure
that you’re doing things that
you enjoy. You have to be
able to balance out something
positive with all of the negative
stuff that’s thrown at us.
“Self-care leads to
resilience,
” she adds, “that’s
what we need right now.
”

Learn more by contacting us at
(248) 687-7300

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