The total magnitude of life-altering effects inflicted by COVID-19 worldwide can still not be predicted. This virus hasn't just adversely affected our physical health, but it has also affected the mental well being of the general population.

Aside from patients and healthcare providers who are interacting with the virus on front lines and are definitely hit the worst both physically and mentally, the uncertainty caused by Corona virus has done a number on the mental health of the general population too.

And now with the lockdown getting gradually eased worldwide, psychologists are seriously concerned that how people will react to that? During this lockdown, people were forced to stay at home, they were asked to comply with certain rules which were new to them and they had no idea when things will get better.

The got accustomed to a life cooped up in homes, for some it worked, and for some, it was a nightmare. People with pre-existing mental illnesses were affected the most. They were deprived of psychological services and they had to deal with it on their own.

Our government also eased the lockdown at the end of Holy month, Ramadan, due to which people can now socialize and can go out. During the several weeks' long lockdown in Pakistan, people with pre-existing mental conditions were most adversely affected, and also there are thousands of people people who lost a job or a place to live or even lost a loved one courtesy the COVID-19.  Psychologists believe that the anxiety among the general population is now at its peak and if not properly resolved, it will lead to the dysfunctionality of every individual in the long run.

Anxiety works in a vicious cycle. Our brain harbors a negative thought which upsets us and we start chasing it with other negative thoughts and emotions and in no time we are in a dark pit of anxiety with nowhere to go. Thus one strategy to deal with anxiety is to understand thought patterns that trigger anxiety. In the words of a psychologist, Daniel Fryer, there are four kinds of thoughts that fuel anxiety.

1. Peremptory demand. It is the kind of compulsion we put on ourselves. 'We "must" be productive.'

2. Imposing the impossible. It is making any circumstance look like hell. 'People will hate me for who I have become.'

3. Demoralizing yourself. This thought makes you believe that you can't handle anything. 'I can't make a good impression.'

4. Disparaging yourself. It is self-damning thought, pitying yourself to a sick level. 'I am stupid.'

When dealing with anxiety, the first step is to identify the thoughts you are experiencing, then you have to accept that what you are going through is normal and is justified. The second step is to manage your response to the fears you having. It is said that we can't control the circumstances we are facing but we can control the reactions to them. The next step is to differentiate unhealthy habits from healthy ones and get rid of unhealthy routines. An important tactic is to keep yourself distracted and to practice mindfulness.

In anxiety disorders, one of the most dreadful feelings is that of powerlessness which we all are facing at some level. It is important to realize that there will always be something we can't get hold of, certain things will always be ahead of us. The strategy to overcome this feeling is to take baby steps towards changing, start it with yourself, make a difference, then help people around you. Eventually, you will realize there are a lot of things you can affect and that's a beautiful feeling. Meanwhile, TAKE DEEP BREATHS.