My wife is pregnant, and my anxiety is causing me to run through a million scenarios. What can I do?

First, congratulations.

Pregnancy can be a stressful situation at the best of times.

It sounds like you need to reduce the million concerns and scenarios running through your brain to a manageable few. The most important thing is to be there for your wife. I'm sure she has her own worries and fears.

Then reality test some of your assumptions.

Your wife isn't sick, she's pregnant and there's no evidence to suggest COVID-19 will impact her care at any stage of her pregnancy.

The person you need to look after right now is you. There are a number of audio exercises that might help you reduce the stress and anxiety you are feeling. Choose one or two that help you focus on your breathing and practice thought stopping.

When you start to go down the rabbit hole of worry, visualize your wife and notice the positives about being a parent. In the midst of a lot of noise and swirl about the coronavirus, remember that you have the opportunity to focus on those small moments of joy when you think about what you and your wife have to look forward to.

Dr. Anna Rowley