Stay At Home Order?

[UserName20]

In my state it was just announced today as well as a confirmed case in my county. I knew it was coming to my county eventually but then when it actually is here it’s just terrifying. All non essential businesses are closed but I work at Menards so we are open. I’m a cashier to get through college and I am so scared. People are coming in coughing, I am constantly surrounded my people, touching money, everything. I live at home still. I’m 20, my brother is 16 and my sister is in her 20’s with severe asthma and pregnant. Her doctor wants her to Stay home until all of this is over.. her asthma is really bad. Now I am terrified I am going to contract it at work since I am in the public and bring it home to her.. This stay at home order is just scary. It feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up. The only place we are supposed to go is work and the store and home, so i really can’t even see my boyfriend until this is all over. And I am so scared that he or I is going to get it and end up dying from it and that we’ll never see each other again.

Clearly my anxiety is really kicking in. I am so worried about everyone.. working in the public is making me so scared. I know We are all dealing with this in some way.. does anyone have any tips on staying calm?😔 I really just want things to be normal again. Going to church and seeing everyone always helped me and now we don’t even have that. My parents are concerned about my sister since she’s pregnant with severe asthma and I am too. They want me to tell my work I need to take leave for a few weeks until things calm down to better protect my sister. But I just started this job so I can’t.. and I know stores need to remain open so it wouldn’t be fair of me to say no to working. I am just terrified

[Scass]

Hello,

It’s a really scary job to have. People didn’t think much of retail jobs a few months ago, but they are so vital now.

It’s really up to you and your family what you do. Explain your concern to your manager about your sister. But also, your company should be giving you good advice about how to handle customers and money and do your job safely.

Keep antibacterial gel where you can use it regularly, wear gloves if they will supply them? Also, wash your hands as soon as you go on break and don’t touch your face!

With regards to relaxing, mindfulness might help you: can you search for the top mindfulness exercises and incorporate a couple into your day. It’s all about bringing your mind back to focus.

Thank you for the job that you do, and for caring enough about your family to ask questions. Whatever decision you make will be the right one for you and your family.
It will be so hard not to see friends and family, but we will all make this work xx

[glassgirlw]

I understand where you’re coming from UserName16, it’s definitely a scary time. And to be in a job where you deal with the general public makes it worse. All you can do is practice the tips that the CDC gives for hygiene and distancing and apply those whenever you can.

im not sure where you’re at in the US, my county had its first case about a week ago, now we’re up to 24 cases (the state only has 38!!!) so it’s like I’m looking at everyone like they’re one big germ, which is so unfair but it is what it is right now. Hopefully this nastiness turns the corner soon!

[UserName20]

I worked an 8 hour day yesterday. I wore gloves, bleached my register, and washed my hands on break. I woke up this morning and I feel very anxious. I feel like there is a weight in my chest and like IÂ’m not breathing well enough. My sister has an oxygen and pulse thing I put in my finger and my heart rate is high ( I am also panicking ) and my oxygen usually says 95-99 but it dipped as low as 85 one time!!!! Then again who knows if it is accurate. But I am freaking out. My family is very upset at me for continuing to work. I was called. A selfish B word by my sister and I coughed once just to see if I had to and my dad screamed at me and told me I probably have it and am gonna kill everyone in the house. He told me if I keep going to work I can find somewhere else to live. IÂ’m in college and have nowhere else to go. IÂ’m just hysterical right now. I feel like I have it. And I don’t know what to do I can’t run to the hospital. We aren’t even supposed to leave the house except to go to the grocery store. I can’t live like this! I feel like I’m gonna pass out I’m getting so scared

[UserName20]

I usually make myself feel better by getting out and doing things or driving around... and right now there is not a single thing I can really do besides stay home.😔 I don’t have a fever or a cough. I just have a feeling in my throat/chest that I need to cough or like a tightness. I don’t know. My parents hid the oxygen sensor from me. My heart rate is pretty high but I assume it can just be anxiety. The oxygen sensor was going between 91-99..

[UserName20]

Well I have now fully convinced myself I have it. I just have this tightness in my throat and it feels like I have to cough.. but I don’t have a cough? I’ve been taking my temp a lot today.. no temperature. But my heart rate has been high with anxiety I assume and my oxygen dropped to 91 at one point and is usually between 96 and 99. I am so terrified now that I’m gonna spread this to my sister if I have it. I know having no fever or cough sounds promising. I wonder if it is anxiety making me feel tightness in my throat.☹️ I can’t think of anything else. My mom is terrified of this and has not stopped cleaning the house the entire day and Keeps saying “she just can’t live in this fear if we get it.” I am so sad and there is absolutely nothing to do at my house besides be on my phone. I deleted my Facebook and am trying to stay off of Google.. all my parents listen to all day is news on the virus. It is literally all they talk about at my house. Nothing else. And my mom is worse than I am with being scared. Now I’m so scared I’m going to get a fever or get worse tomorrow. Just knowing I can’t even see my boyfriend is so upsetting. I feel like I can’t go to a dr either. This is a nightmare come to life. I can’t stop.

[glassgirlw]

It sounds like your family is fueling your anxiety somewhat. That’s really hard since you live with them and there’s no place else to go right now. I’m guessing by what you’ve described at home there’s no point in discussing the constant flow of news with your family and explaining to them how badly it’s affecting your anxiety issues.

Do you have any hobbies? Can you find a fun series on YouTube or Netflix and put in some headphones, stream the shows on your phone while working on a craft project, etc? Someway to tune out what’s going on around you in your home?

I understand the fear you’re having. We all I think have some fears surrounding this entire situation. I’m also deemed an “essential worker” and although my city enters a 30 day lockdown tonight at midnight, I’ll still be working. I’m trying to focus on the things I know I have control over - washing my hands, avoiding touching my face, keeping my home environment clean and tidy, working on a quilt project in my free time, etc.

[glassgirlw]

Also - try to keep your perspective on this situation. The “scary numbers” are the ones we with anxiety tend to focus on the most - the confirmed cases and the deaths. Try to focus on the other end of it - how many people don’t have this virus?

[UserName20]

Thank you!! I’ve been trying so so hard to distract myself. I woke up this morning and I felt fine. Then I started thinking about my breathing and suddenly it all started again. I have this feeling like I have to cough in my throat all day and it’s just a dry cough. But it’s like I don’t really have to cough I just feel like I have to.. I called my doctor and told them I have a dry cough and told them about the oximeter going down and up. I don’t have a fever or chills. The nurse told me that I am fine and that I am probably just freaking myself out. ( They know my history of health anxiety ) but I feel this constantly like I have to keep coughing and coughing and it’s like my throat almost burns. I can breathe but I can feel that i need to cough every time I breathe.. I am panicking so badly. I don’t have a fever though...☹️ I called my work and told them I won’t be in tomorrow. I’m 20 and my boyfriend keeps reminding me that I am going to be fine but I don’t believe him. I’m scared I’m not going to be able to breathe and that I have the coronavirus. Should I not be concerned since I don’t have a fever? My heart rate is high every time I check it.. I’m so scared. Now I’m scared I’m gonna End up in the hospital and die alone since the hospital can’t have any visitors right now.

[glassgirlw]

I think you’re just working yourself up into a full blown panic. Stop and breathe, do you normally get panic attacks? What are some of the techniques that work for you?

From what I’ve read, if you don’t have a fever you probably don’t have it. Seems like fever is the pretty constant symptom across the majority of cases.