STRESS AND ANXIETY OVER THE COVID VACCINE

The COVID-19 vaccines have offered people around the world hope that the pandemic may soon come to an end.

At Star Point Counseling Center in Brandon Fl. &Tampa Fl. we have experienced a large volume of calls from people who are seeking stress counseling an anxiety counseling.

But that’s not to say that getting vaccinated doesn’t come with some stress. Both COVID-19 vaccines currently approved in the U.S. require two doses. That lag time in between your first and second shot can be filled with stress and impatience, amid the changing public health guidelines and the uncertainty about when you’ll have immunity against the virus.

However, it’s important to find ways to keep that stress at bay—not only for your emotional wellbeing, but also to make sure you get the full benefits of the vaccine. Here’s what to know about the relationship between stress and immunity, along with some tips on putting your mind at ease in between your COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Stress and COVID-19 Vaccines

Feeling stressed out for any length of time, whether it’s a few days or many weeks, can weaken the immune system, according to the American Psychological Association. It can affect the ways in which the body responds to bacteria, viruses, and even

On January 12, the journal Perspectives on Psychological Stress published a preprint of a new report from The Ohio State University, where researchers looked at 30 years worth of studies on the ways environmental factors and individual health could affect a person’s immune response to vaccines. 

The authors found “robust evidence” that stress, depression, and other mental health conditions can make the body take longer to develop immunity in response to a vaccine, and reduce how long that immunity lasts. The paper also showed that psychological factors played a role in the prevalence and severity of side effects from vaccines.

Since the studies showed similar results across many different vaccines, the authors say that the findings may be generalizable to the COVID-19 vaccines, as well. That means that high stress levels could make the shots less effective on both the individual level and the public at large. 

starpointcounselingtampa.com

starpointcounselingbrandon.com

affordablecounselingbrandon.com

#counselingTampaFl