1. Eat a donut. You want one. You’ll enjoy it. And strengthening the pleasure pathways in your brain will help you focus on what’s really happening around you rather than your fears. Also, the additional fat stores may help you survive a day or two longer.
2. Watch your favorite movie. There’s no better way to relax and connect to positive memories and a sense of well-being. Maybe you have half the lines memorized already. Memorize the rest! You’ll be able to “watch” the movie again in your head whenever you want, even through the long cold nights without electricity or heat.
3. Take up a new hobby. Learning a new skill is proven to reshape your thinking and excite reward centers in your brain. And working with your hands can be particularly effective at nipping anxious thought patterns in the neurasthenic bud. I suggest butchering. Learn how to identify and harvest the best cuts of meat from animals like squirrels, rats, and poodles.
4. Talk to the people around you. We’re all in this together and connecting with other people will help you feel less alone and scared. You can also determine who among your acquaintances has military training and may be able to help you defend the cache of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your basement.
5. Drugs.