Alphabet's CEO says the coronavirus has 'absolutely' caused a mental-health crisis. Here are 5 calming podcasts you should follow if you're feeling anxious over the pandemic.

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Alphabet's CEO says the coronavirus has 'absolutely' caused a mental-health crisis. Here are 5 calming podcasts you should follow if you're feeling anxious over the pandemic.
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  • The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, is causing panic and anxiety worldwide.
  • Top executives, like Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, for example, are recognizing the toll the pandemic is taking on employees.
  • In an interview with Business Insider, licensed clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula said that in addition to seeking professional help, listening to mental-health podcasts can be a great way to address stress over the pandemic.
  • Here are five highly rated mental-health podcasts that address anxiety around the novel coronavirus, including "The Calmer You Podcast" and "Your Anxiety Toolkit."
  • If you're struggling, call the SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The novel coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on pretty much everyone - and top company executives are taking notice.

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Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and YouTube's parent company Alphabet, told Time in a recent interview that we're "absolutely" in a mental-healt crisis. He's also worried about the toll the pandemic will take on his employees. Pichai, who was CEO of Google since 2015, said he gets messages from employees who are "dealing with isolation and loneliness."

"Mental health is definitely going to be an issue coming out of this," he said. "And it's something we all have to address more."

Pichai echoes a larger concern from psychologists and mental health experts, who are troubled by the anxiety and fear the virus has caused for countless Americans. This fear can take a psychological toll, licensed clinical psychologist and author Ramani Durvasula told Business Insider.

"Uncertainty is very stressful and is a core element of anxiety," the psychologist said.

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In addition to the uncertainty, there's also a sense of instability. Many people have given up their daily habits that ground them, like going to the gym, the hairdresser, a book club, their religious institution, she said.

"Then people have lost bigger stuff - graduations, weddings, family events, vacations - all of this makes it exhausting," she said. And that's not even including the people who have lost a loved one to the virus.

In addition to seeking professional help, listening to a mental health podcast can be a helpful way to start to ease some anxiety, the psychologist said.

Here are five mental health podcasts by psychologists or coaches with 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts that are addressing coronavirus anxiety and stress.

If you're struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, or suicidal thoughts, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357) anytime for free, confidential help or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

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"The Calmer You Podcast"

"The Calmer You Podcast"

Chloe Brotheridge, hypnotherapist and author of the books "The Anxiety Solution" and "Brave New Girl," tackles topics like how to reduce negative thinking, ways to heal trauma, and manage grief. A recent episode of this podcast specifically talks about how to be productive and manage stress while working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. In one recent episode, she interviews Frankie Jackson-Spence, a medical doctor based in London.

"Be mindful of how much news you're consuming," Jackson-Spence said. "And stay socially connected with people, talk about how you're feeling."

Listen here>>

"A Mindful Moment"

"A Mindful Moment"

Host Teresa McKee, who has a master's degree in leadership coaching psychology, shares ways to relax and be more mindful in her podcast, "A Mindful Moment." She has episodes that address the pandemic, how to transition to working from home, and the panic it causes.

"Panicking about it only increases the risk to ourselves and others," she said.

Listen here>>

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"The Anxiety Coaches Podcast"

"The Anxiety Coaches Podcast"

Gina Ryan, host of "The Anxiety Coaches Podcast," is an anxiety coach and nutritionist who struggled with general anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia for more than 20 years. Her podcast, which publishes twice a week, usually runs 20 minutes per episode and includes topics such as how to control the physical sides of anxiety, ways to be more grateful, and ways to cope with PTSD. She has a recent episode dealing with anxiety around the novel coronavirus, where she shares helpful self-care tips.

"Where we need to put our effort is in our thinking right now" she said.

Listen here>>

"Therapy for Black Girls"

"Therapy for Black Girls"

Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, hosts a weekly inspiring podcast on all things mental health, made especially for black women. Her podcast episodes tackle topics including how to build confidence, prompts for mindfulness journaling, and how to deal with anxiety around the pandemic.

"Sunshine is good for us, so try to squeeze it in when you can," Bradford said.

Listen here>>

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"Your Anxiety Toolkit"

"Your Anxiety Toolkit"

In "Your Anxiety Toolkit," host Kimberley Quinlan, a licensed marriage and family therapist, shares how stress and anxiety affect your life, as well as ways to deal with it. Her podcasts range from 20 minutes to 50 minutes in duration, and sometimes feature guest speakers. She has multiple recent episodes that touch on anxiety around the pandemic.

"Support is really important at this time mainly because our anxiety in our body is going to be really triggered during this time, rightfully so," Quinlan said.

Listen here>>

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