The coronavirus outbreak has changed the daily lives of people around the world. For many, the pandemic had a great impact on physical, emotional and financial state thus, influenced their mental health. It’s perfectly normal to feel heightened stress and anxiety during times of uncertainty, especially when social isolation continues, that’s why maintaining your mental health is essential. Here are some ways to make your mental health a priority during COVID-19.
How Stress and Insecurity Affect Mental Health
For most people, stress and insecurity are fueled by a lack of control. The COVID-19 outbreak has left people feeling powerless as they are being asked to make significant, unprecedented changes to their lifestyles, directly impacting three key elements of mental health: autonomy, competence and interrelationship. It is important to understand that strong emotions such as fear, sadness, confusion, anger and irritability are common reactions to stressful situations. However, there are tools you can use to make sure your mental health needs are met both during and after quarantine periods.
Satisfy Your Needs
While helping others in times of crisis is a great way to connect and build community, providing for your own needs should be a priority. This is of great importance, for instance, for medical personnel and first responders. Everyone handles the stress in a different way, but here are a few steps you can take to mitigate the negative mental health effects of this situation.
- Set a Daily Routine
One of the most effective strategies for returning to normalcy is to set a daily routine. If you’re used to getting up early every morning and getting ready for work, continue to follow this rule even if you’re working remotely. For parents this will also include a schedule for children, who are also likely to feel lost and confused without their normal schedule. Breaking the day into sections; thus, balancing work and leisure can help reduce monotony and increase productivity. Find something that suits everyone in your family.
- Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health
Exercise is a great way to release stored energy and lower stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Even relatively short periods of activity can affect your mental and physical health. The good news is that even though during the quarantine restrictions fitness centers are closed and outdoor activities may be limited, there are plenty of ways to stay active at home. Here are a few things you can do to make your day more active depending on your ability:
- Walking
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Body exercises
You can find fitness apps, online workouts and fitness videos without leaving your home or purchasing new supplies.
- Manage Your Information Consumption
It is important to strike a balance between staying on top of things and feeling overwhelmed. Above all, minimize the chance of receiving and spreading misinformation by getting updates from trusted sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and your local health departments. Constant watching or listening to the news can increase stress more than just reading the news because with reading you can control your consumption more easily. Another strategy for limiting your news consumption is to set aside fifteen minutes a day for watching the news so you can focus on other tasks and priorities throughout the day.
- Stay in Touch
The quantity and quality of our social interactions play a huge role in our mental health, so it’s no surprise that social distancing has left many people feeling disconnected or cut off from the “real world.” Keeping in touch with friends, family and colleagues is a key element in minimizing the feeling of isolation and protecting your mental health. Even if you can’t meet face to face, there are still ways to stay in touch. Fortunately, at the time of social networks, we have unlimited opportunities. Here are some ways:
- Call or write to your loved ones
- Conduct business meetings via video conferencing
- Follow your friends on social networks
- Play virtual games or online multiplayer games with your friends
- Schedule virtual meetings like happy hour or coffee
- Join an online exercise class, etc.
Get Professional Help When You Need It
Maintaining mental health is important for everyone, but it can be much more difficult for people with pre-existing mental illnesses, who are more susceptible to the negative impacts of COVID-19. Depression or anxiety resulting from negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic will not go away on their own and, in some cases, people need professional help to cope with mental health problems. If you need support in protecting your mental health, don’t hesitate to ask for professional help. An experienced specialist will help you cope with depression, chronic anxiety and despair, and get you back into your normal routine. And if you are a psychologist searching for a job and willing to help people during this pandemic, consider vacancies on Jooble.
