Mental Health During COVID 19

As an introvert, my ultimate dream was to be able to socialize, stay in touch with family and friends, and make a decent living straight from the comforts of my home. Well, it’s true what they say, Be careful what you wish for. My life now has zero interaction and my ultimate dream has become my worst nightmare. I feel like I have no control over my life, I feel like time is slipping from my hands, and it’s been 5 months since I’ve last seen my best friend. And I know that I am not alone. I know many of you have suffered and many of you are still suffering from depression about the altered routines and anxiety and uncertainty about the future, I know many of you people, who were already depressed or had the fear of change, are suffering the most. But trust me, this pandemic is almost over. Believe me when I tell you that life will get back to normal

Why mental health awareness is important (especially in a pandemic like the COVID 19)

If you are having feelings like hopelessness about the future, worry for your own health and the health of your loved ones, difficulty in having a routine and an increased amount of stress, anxiety, and depression, Know that You are not alone.

What is important right now is that you keep your mental health in check, you don’t only need to come physically healthy out of this pandemic, you need your mental health too.

Many researches have revealed that today’s generation is more depressed than ever, and in these trying times, Isolation and Loneliness can have a drastic negative impact on our mental health. It is important that we give importance to the emotional and mental well being of ourselves and of those around us. We should try to reach out to others. If some friend of yours is depressed to make a habit of talking to them daily, ask about casual things, show that you care, and If you are going through some mental health problems yourself, do not hide them, reach out, there’s no shame in asking for help, it’s time to heal.

“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.”  – Glenn Clos

Coping with Negative Emotions during Quarantine.

Here are 5 ways you can manage stress and anxiety during the quarantine.

1. Acknowledge your emotions. (It’s all okay)

It’s natural to feel antsy, and it’s okay to not to feel okay all the time. And it’s important to recognize and name your emotions so you can address them properly. Look into yourself, don’t repress your feelings, it’s not healthy. And here is a reminder: If you are not feeling particularly productive it’s perfectly fine, you don’t need to come out of this pandemic with a new skill or a new hobby, what you need is your mental and physical well being.

2. Take breaks from COVID content ( it’s making you anxious)

Stop consuming a lot of news or stories about the COVID 19 or other things going wrong in the world. It’s subconsciously making you anxious. And don’t believe in any rumors, only trust reliable sources.( but it’s important to follow guidelines and recommendations from official sources like WHO). Apart from the news, Cut out the toxic stuff from your social media feed. Follow artists and motivational speakers instead. Don’t strive for social approval, strive to live a real pleasant life. Don’t live for others, live for yourselves.

3. Do activities you actually enjoy doing (instead of following trends)

Indulge yourself in your favorite activities, it can be creating art, reading, writing, journaling, it can be Netflix and chill (but make sure to take breaks from screen time and do something refreshing we all know that binge-watching is not healthy,) It can be anything really. You don’t need to a thing because everyone else is doing it. Instead of following trends, find what you really love doing. Who knows, maybe you find something you want to do for the rest of your life.

4. Find your silver lining. (Be Optimistic)

I know it’s extremely hard, but you need to project some optimism in your life right now. Make a list of things you want to do after this pandemic is over, plan a dream trip, Think about you’re grateful for, gratitude can do wonders for your mental health. Have a firm belief that everything will get back to normal, your future is not hopeless. You have the rest of your life and it can be an amazing life.

5. Reach out, (You Matter)

It is extremely unnerving that mental health is being so neglected nowadays. Countless people are being affected and the majority of them are not even being given proper attention and care. What we need right now is more light to mental health, to make people feel they are not alone in this, to normalize seeking help. If you are feeling pessimistic or stressed, reach out to friends and family. If you are feeling overwhelmed, seek therapy. Remember that self-care is important, Remember you are loved. Don’t isolate yourself. Don’t isolate yourself from self-care. You matter.

“In the rush to return to normal, let’s use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” –Dave Hollis.

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