A regular health and lifestyle column from Corinne Yeadon, of the Being Better private therapy practice based in Newmarket Street, Skipton

ALL forms of media are awash with speculation and supposition of what life over the next few months and after lockdown might look like.

This has served to provoke feelings of anxiety in many of us.

At the beginning of lockdown, I had the naïve belief that when the liberation came it would resemble the big cats of Africa being released from cages into the wild. I now feel it will be more akin to pit ponies taking tentative steps, blinking into the sunlight.

Even the most adverse and unusual of circumstances can become the new norm very rapidly; we are adaptable, resilient beasts.

Despite separation from social support there has been an element of adjusting to the safety and protection of home. Any alteration of restrictions, however conditional, can feel unnerving as fear of infection and illness continues to be at the core of anxieties.

Financial pressures are a very real concern for many, both in the short term and long term due to the economic future being equally as uncertain.

In client sessions a common approach I have is to encourage people to focus on what it known, where there is evidence. This avoids unhelpful thinking and catastrophising. There is so much unknown about the short and long term future which makes considered, responsive, measured decisions a difficult approach and mindset.

Striking a balance between keeping informed and avoiding being consumed by speculation and “what ifs” is a juggling act.

Take control:

• Impose boundaries and limits around exposure to news reports.

• Identify reliable, evidenced based information sources.

• Avoidance of engaging in social media speculation.

• Implement daily routines and structure.

• Download meditation or mindfulness apps.

The key is to focus on your immediate environment and daily coping strategies within your control.