Anna Prudovski of Turning Point Psychological Services at Your Morning show talks about how to deal with anxiety around coronavirus.

“The strongest underlying mechanism of obsessive-compulsive disorder is the inability to tolerate uncertainty,” says Anna Prudovski, clinical psychologist and director of Turning Point Psychological Services.

"According to Prudovski, people without illness anxiety might experience discomfort when they read a coronavirus-related story, but they can bat the thought away."

“When anyone reads about a new disease they may question, ‘Do I have it?’ But for a person with illness anxiety they feel compelled to engage,” said Anna Prudovski.

“Many of us spend our days worrying about the future or ruminating about the past, thus, missing a great deal of what is happening in the here-and-now.”

"[Distraction] is often recommended by self-help books and even by professionals," Anna Prudovski, psychologist, clinical director of Turning Point Psychological Services, tells Bustle.

"It’s natural to ask those around you for help but if you’re constantly peppering your loved ones with questions, asking them to verify the health issues you think you have, you may be a hypochondriac."

“Start seeing your thoughts as what they are: thoughts. They are not facts. They are not threats.”