Admit it, we all have a list of things to do in 2020! Whether it’s a family vacation, your graduation day, your best friend’s wedding, or it may be anything! But started in the late 19s, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes into our life! It has made many changes in our life such as how we live our lives and what will happen tomorrow, and the uncertainty altered our daily routines; it brought more financial pressures and social isolation. We are all on the edge of worrying about getting sick, how the future will be like, or how long the pandemic will last. These can be stressful times as we hear about many misinformation and rumors from all over the world through social media, family and friends, newspapers, and other sources.
All this misinformation can make it unclear what to do, and our lives feel out of control. The most basic emotion we are facing is fear. Fear makes us panic, anxious, loneliness, sadness, stress, and it can probably have power over us to make us do and say things that we might not consider doing. As the days passing the mental health issues can be worsened. Anxiety and worries about COVID-19 and survival can impact one’s life in the wrong way. And the social distancing makes it even more challenging to cope up with. Here learn some ways to cope up with your mental health disorders during this pandemic situation.
Handling Social Isolation
Staying at home can be stressful for some, especially without any option of going out and seeing your loved ones. It can be so annoying and irritating for a socially active person. Here are some ways to get on your tracks.
- Be busy. Build a regular schedule to do some of the work at home.
- If you’ve children at home, keep them busy. Engage with them in doing some activities to build their skills and create some good memories with them. Allow them to help in household chores.
- Spend quality time with family. Build a tradition, a family game.
- Divert yourself from negative disturbances by reading inspiring books, listening to music, watching an entertaining program, or you can even develop a new skill also. There are online classes and courses available on the internet.
- If you had hobbies like stitching, gardening, painting, writing, or anything else, go back to them. It’s time to rediscover your hobbies.
- Drink plenty of water and eat well.
- Be physically and mentally active. Do indoor exercises to keep you healthy and fit.
- Older adults may feel lost, confused, or may need help in doing something. You can offer support to do something for them.
- Connect with your friends and loved ones through phone and video calls.
- Limit your screen time. Turn off your electronic devices for some time each day.
Handling Emotional Problems
- Distracting your mind helps you to calm yourself when you’re irritated or angry. To soothe your mind, count back from 10 to 1, and repeat this again.
- At times of stress and anxiety, controlling your breath can help you out here. Practice breathing slowly for a few minutes. Try to distance yourself from the thoughts that make you anxious. Think of something peaceful and calm place or situation; you can even try listening to calm music.
- When you’re feeling afraid of your safety due to COVID-19, ask yourself these: What I am so scared of? Why should I be afraid of this? When have I been stressed in the past, how do I deal with it? What are the things I can do now to help me calm down?
- Feeling lonely and sad is common during this quarantine. Stay connected with others to help yourself from this situation. Communication can be helpful to stay in touch with your family and friends. Call those people who haven’t you called for a long time and surprise them. There’s plenty of things to talk about, discuss your shared interests, cooking lessons, favorite pieces of music, and all those happy moments.
What Things to Avoid This Time
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. You may think that usage of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs may help you to cope with your boredom or mental health issues, but its usage will reduce your immunity. People who are also addicted to drugs may seek help from drug rehab programs.
- Avoid sharing and discussion of unnecessary information about COVID-19. Do not criticize people with COVID-19 infection. While you need to keep yourself safe and maintain a physical distance, they need concern and care. If you happen to know someone who has the COVID-19 infection, tell them about the precautions, how to take care of them and keep social distance, and how to get medical attention if required.
- If you happen to get in contact with someone and get infected, don’t panic. Remember the fact that most people get better. Practice self-isolation and take enough precautions.
When Needed Get Professional Help
For severe mental issues, you should consider getting an appointment with a mental health treatment center. For support with mental health issues such as grief, anxiety, or other mental well being and any addiction treatment problems, you can access the therapy online with a trained therapist. It’s also essential for someone to continue obtaining their treatment and support for existing mental health concerns.
If you are receiving any ongoing treatments for a mental or physical health issue, and it is not necessary to be seen face to face, consider an online service this time. Connect with your healthcare provider to enquire about if his services are available via telephone or online consultations.
The quarantine can be hard. How hard can it be? What doctors and nurses need here is to be everyone else to stay home. Even nursing classes and nursing conferences are going online to lessen the effects of COVID 19. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are working day and night to reduce the damage with regular check-ups of patients either through video conferencing or phone.
So, let’s remember that old saying again, “This Too Shall Pass,” and stay home, stay safe!