Ricky Martin Reveals New Album 'Pausa' Helped Him Manage Anxiety
What happened: Millions of Americans live with anxiety, including Ricky Martin. However, on Thursday, the “Living La Vida Loca” singer told Arianna Davis for Oprah that his recent album, “Pausa,” helped him manage uncomfortable feelings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explaining the new album — which is the first of two volumes — Martin said “Pausa” is introspective and “the soundtrack for our quarantine.”
I was really anxious, the level of anxiety that I was dealing with was completely unrecognizable. I needed to write about this and I needed to share it with my audience and my social media. And a lot of people are saying ‘Thank you Rick, I’m not the only one.’ We’re all feeling what we’re feeling. We have to talk about mental health. — Ricky Martin
The Frontlines: Martin is right. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stress levels are on the rise. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many to experience unprecedented levels of angst and fear, and said stress can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
- Sleep disruptions
- Changes to dietary habits
- Worsening of chronic or mental health conditions
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A Mighty Voice: Our contributor, Amanda Booth, outlined several steps individuals can take to combat coronavirus-induced anxiety. “Acknowledge the uncertainty,” Booth said. “Take a moment to breathe… and pull back.” You can submit your first person story, too.
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Other things to know: You are not alone. These articles can (and will) help you deal with fear and stress during these uncertain times.
- 7 Ways to Deal With ‘Coronavirus Anxiety’
- Dealing With Coronavirus Fears When You Have Anxiety
- How to Cope With Anxiety Caused By COVID-19
Where to listen: You can listen to Martin’s new EP, “Pausa” on Spotify or via YouTube here.
Header image via Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation) / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
Kimberly Zapata is a trending news writer for SheKnows. Her work has appeared on numerous sites, including the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Parents, Scary Mommy, Babble, Romper and The Mighty, and when she is not immersed in “all things writing,” she is working on her nonprofit, Greater Than Illness: an organization dedicated to empowering teens and young adults struggling with mental health concerns.
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