Serena Williams is struggling with coronavirus anxiety like the rest of us

Serena Williams opened up about the anxiety she’s feeling over being in self-isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic in a candid talk with her fans on TikTok.

Trying to inject some fun into the situation, Williams wore a series of different tutus and changed her hair during her video, while outlining the struggles she’s having being away from people. Williams notes the isolation is making her hyper-vigilant to the point of it affecting her mental health.

“Now I’ve been social distancing for actually a really long time, for probably two weeks now, and every little thing makes me crazy. By anxiety I mean I’m just on edge. Any time anyone sneezes around me or coughs I get crazy. I don’t hang out with anyone, and when I say anyone I mean my daughter. She coughed, I got angry and gave her a side-eye. I gave her that ‘angry Serena,’ and then I got sad. I was like, ‘Is she OK? Is there something wrong with my daughter? Is there anything I can do?’ I just don’t know what to do, so instead of being relaxed I’m really under a ton of stress.”

Nobody is immune from the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, not even the rich and famous. Just yesterday I had to explain to my three-year-old daughter, as best I could, why she couldn’t play with her friends or go to the playground right now, and it broke my heart.

We are all in this together. A lot of people might be fronting that they’re not worried and that nothing is changing for them, but the reality is that we’re all having problems with this in our own way, and that’s OK. The CDC has put together a list of tips and resources for managing stress and anxiety during the coronavirus outbreak, and it’s worth looking through, even if you think you’re feeling OK now.

We might be in this for the long haul, but you are not alone. Don’t be afraid of sharing how you’re feeling, and know that while things are difficult we will get through this.