This excerpt is from an article published in Community Center Shanghai’s Fall Guide Magazine.
To say 2020 has been a rocky start to the new decade would be an understatement. Between the global coronavirus pandemic, travel restrictions, quarantines, economic instability, social unrest, and political polarisation, there has been no shortage of things to worry about. Unsurprisingly, these tumultuous times have coincided with a significant uptick in clients seeking support from Community Center Shanghai for anxiety-related issues.
In 2019, 18 percent of CCS clients cited ‘Anxiety’ as their presenting issue.1 As of July this year, this figure had almost doubled, reaching 34 percent. Stress-related concerns are also up, having increased from 3 to 8 percent. Finally, ‘Grief & Loss’ entered the top 5 presenting issues of 2020, replacing marital problems.
Feelings of anxiety are often linked to future events. Anticipating a future negative outcome can stimulate discomfort in the present. This discomfort is usually short-lived, but can sometimes fester, becoming chronic. Chronic anxiety can be debilitating and even lead to physical health problems.
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