In recent years, there has been a rise in the acknowledgment of mental health and mental illnesses; a topic that used to be considered ‘taboo’. Mental health is substantially a great factor in the way one acts or behaves daily. Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in many people experiencing strong emotions including fear, stress, and anxiety. “The impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health is already extremely concerning. Social isolation, fear of contagion, and loss of family members is compounded by the distress caused by loss of income and often employment,” said Dr. Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO. This is a pressing matter since many people that live with serious mental health conditions die ahead of time when it could have been prevented; many pass away as much as two decades earlier. As countries are adapting and trying to protect their citizens from the virus, many people have undergone major changes in their daily routines. These changes include working from home, temporary unemployment, online schooling, and lack of physical contact with close ones. While adapting to this new way of life, dealing with the fear of contracting the virus and worrying about family members’ safety can be challenging for many people who are not used to change; especially for those experiencing mental health conditions. If everyone copes with the situation at hand in a healthy way, it can help themselves, their loved ones, and their community. There are many ways that one can look after their own mental health and help others that may also need support and care.
Below are some useful tips that may aid the process and take care of one’s emotional health.
- Keeping yourself informed
Try to stay up-to-date with the news in moderation; overwhelming yourself can be a lot emotionally. Not only should you stay up-to-date with the news, but inform yourself of the procedures you should take if you are sick or are experiencing symptoms; this gives a sense of security and certainty of what to do if one is found in this position.
- Set up a routine
Since life has been altered due to lockdown procedures, try to adjust everything you used to do outside into a routine within the home. This can help you adjust better to the new normal.
- Connect with others
In order to help with feelings of isolation, reach out to loved ones through the phone or through social media, and communicate with them about your concerns or talk to them normally as if you were not distanced.
- Take care of your body
Irregular activity can be stressful on the body and can cause you to experience strong emotions. The CDC advises to take deep breaths or meditate, eat well-balanced meals, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and avoid excessive alcohol and drug abuse.
- Take time to relax
If you do activities you enjoy, there are fewer chances of emotional instability. Take time out of your day to do something that may relax you or that takes your mind off of the havoc in your life. It is also important to not spend all day relaxing; avoiding daily tasks because if so more problems can arise, causing emotional stress.
Not only should one look after their mental health, but also try to help others with their stress. One can do this by providing encouragement and support. It is important to not discriminate nor cause more pain to others; if you do said action, you may be bringing pain into others which can evolve into emotional instability. Another way that you may help your community is by offering to help those around you; some examples of this could be helping with food shopping or running small errands for those who are quarantined. Last, but not least, you can also aid others through social media; if it is possible, share useful information, positive or hopeful stories, or an uplifting message to the public. Pandemics can be stressful for the majority of the world and it is important not only to look out for our health but also those in our communities.
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