From schwallum64: I haven’t been able to stop worrying about the norovirus. I whole-heartedly know that I’ve done absolutely nothing to catch it, but I also feel like i’m subconsciously ignoring that. I keep hearing there’s a whole bunch of cases breaking out in the north-east US, but I keep telling myself “I’m in the UK, it’s fine - the US is a long way from here.” but sometimes that doesn’t work, and now I’m just spiraling and spiraling and spiraling. I’m hopeless - I don’t know what to do and I feel like I’m stressing everyone out.
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Hello Schwallum64, are you an adolescent or elderly? I think about 20 million people a year get it according to the stats, hardly anyone experiences anything fatal from it it. Also seems that about 70% of cases come from restaurants and catering services. So if you are staying away from these things, the likely hood of you getting it, even in the US. Is not that high I do not think. Of course anything can happen I suppose, but even in the rare case you were to get it. It is basically just a bad stomach flu. Which is not fun, but also not a permanent thing. It usually clears up in a few days. Is there a particular reason you are worried about this?
Hallo, gosh you know what, sometimes it’s so overwhelming to hear about all the sicknesses and viruses and diseases going around. It’s easy to worry and to think the worst because we see how it impacts people.
Do you think it could be helpful to sit down with your doctor and discuss the chances and risks, create a plan and feel like you have a bit of safety and support? Not because there is a high chance, but to put your mind at ease that even if (because I know what it’s like to think the chances may be low, but someone has to go through it for there to be a chance) EVEN IF you do get this virus or maybe any other virus, you know exactly what the protocol is.
Hey @schwallum64,
Thank you so much for sharing about this here. I’m sure there are other people struggling with the same type of anxiety as yours, and it’s so important to give yourself permission to talk about it, even if there’s a fear of stressing others out.
We’ve been through a traumatic event with the spread of the virus years ago and all the radical measures that followed. It’s completely understandable that something that has been so visible, so damaging and so impactful in our lives, remains a stressor. Being anxious myself - about different things -, the hardest thing is surely to work on letting go of the things we cannot control directly, such as the coronavirus. Even when you know something rationally, it’s hard to just hold on to this part of your brain and reassure yourself. There’s this other part that keeps asking “what if?” even if the scenario it brings are not realistic. I’m sorry you’ve been struggling with this level of anxiety, because it is definitely a place that sucks to be in.
From a personal perspective, I would surely like to encourage you to try to stay away - as much as possible - from news about this topic specifically. Essentially because the more you may learn about it, the more it will feed an illusion of keeping some control. This may be a tough, challenging time to reflect on the things you can control versus the ones you can’t, and how to balance the amount of information you receive, depending on your own sensitivity and vulnerability. Sometimes, it helps to try to re-focus on a smaller scale of things. On our very own and personal world - our loved ones, our hobbies, our dreams and passions, our habits and routines. It helps to regarding a sense of grounding in this big world that is, unfortunately, incredibly overwhelming sometimes.
You are allowed to protect your peace, and practice re-centering as much as possible to what matters most to your heart, and don’t add more pressure to it. 
I hope you can find peace again, my friend. One day at a time. Always.