The global outbreak of COVID-19 changed the lives of people around the world. The situation was unpredictable and caught entire societies off guard. As of now, the pandemic is still not over, with many new cases reported every day.
A global crisis on such a scale is, understandably, difficult to deal with. It may cause you to feel scared, lonely, sad, anxious, bored, frustrated – or all of the above. If you experience negative feelings resulting from the pandemic, remember that it’s completely normal to feel this way. People are going to react differently, and there’s nothing wrong with feeling emotions you’re not comfortable with. However, it’s essential to figure out how to deal with this challenging situation.
Even during times of great uncertainty, there are many things you can do to take care of your mental health. Taking control over your life will help you and those around you cope with the situation and feel better. Here are some ways that can improve your well-being and mental state:
Keep in Touch with Others
If you find yourself isolated and confined to your home due to the global situation, you may feel emotionally distressed and lonely. Whether you had a rich social life or led a more introverted lifestyle, this forced and prolonged state can negatively impact your mental condition.
In this situation, don’t shut other people off. Keep in touch with your friends and family. Text, face-time, talk over Skype – make sure you have someone to talk to and share your feelings. If you’re a student, consider organizing online meetings to talk and study with your colleagues. Try to keep people you trust included in your life.
Don’t Neglect Your Relationships
Keeping in touch with others is an essential factor in maintaining mental well-being. However, it’s also important to focus on relationships with people who share their living space with you. As such, avoid getting in the conflict between family members, if you live with them. Try to make your home a conflict-free zone.
The stress resulting from the global situation may take a toll on your romantic life as well. You may still feel lost and insecure despite having someone beside you.
Your mental state can also influence physical interactions with others. Both men and women may experience a drop in libido. You may feel intimidated by this situation, and it’s totally normal. One of the best ideas is to talk to your partner, and if the problem continues to endure – one of the ideas is to talk to a couples counselor.
Limit Your News and Social Media Intake
Some people find the amount of news and information constantly shared on social media and other platforms quite overwhelming. It’s good to stay informed, but constant negativity and the lack of uplifting content may contribute to your feelings of anxiety and worry. For this reason, we suggest that you find a healthy balance of media coverage and social media posts.
Consider limiting your intake of news regardless of its form. Make sure you get the information from reliable sources and adjust your social media feed so that you’ll mostly see inspiring, uplifting content. Avoid channels and profiles that make you feel anxious or down. Fearmongering and constant updates won’t help you maintain a healthy mental state. Once you get your daily dose of information, turn off your TV or radio, and give your attention to more positive matters.
Plan Your Day
Fear, isolation, and uncertainty make everyone unmotivated. If the current situation negatively impacts your mental health, you may struggle with maintaining your daily routine. However, sleeping all day, binge-watching Netflix, and ordering takeout food with no plans to clean your place afterward may prove to be extremely counterproductive. That’s why introducing some structure into your life is your best bet to keep you going.
Try to establish a flexible yet realistic schedule that includes both fun and productive activities. Consider prioritizing the things you have to do each day. For example, pick the three most important tasks that have to be done and get some rest. You can also plan regular mealtimes and bedtimes.
Introducing a clear structure will help you get going throughout the day. Instead of squandering time, you’ll have the opportunity to take responsibility for your actions, which will be extremely rewarding. Feel free to experiment to find the routine that works best for you.
Look After Your Body
One of the factors that have a real impact on how we feel is our physical health. However, during self-isolation, it’s easy to fall into unhealthy patterns and neglect a healthy diet and exercise, even more than before. While the memes about the” quarantine body” circulating the internet are relatable, they fail to motivate and lead to a positive change.
There’s nothing wrong with slowing down a bit and trying to figure out how to deal with the situation. However, maintaining unhealthy habits won’t do any good to your mental health. If you let a few unhealthy patterns slide into your usual routine, consider making a change for the better. If you’re dealing with an autoimmune disease like EDS disease, you know how important it is to treat your body well.
Try making small steps and move on to the big ones. Remember to maintain proper hygiene and keep your surroundings neat and tidy. Make sure you’re hydrated – drink plenty of water. Instead of buying takeout or junk food all the time, try eating healthy, well-balanced meals. You can also establish a regular workout routine; exercise is known to have many benefits relating to both physical and mental health. Start taking care of your body, and we guarantee you’ll feel much better.
Be in Touch with a Professional
If you already have a pre-existing mental health condition, keep in touch with your doctors and therapist. A crisis on such a scale puts a huge strain on everyone’s mental health. If you notice that your mental condition deteriorates, you experience new symptoms, or you find it more and more difficult to cope with reality, don’t wait!
Reach out to the person familiar with your case. If you’re on medication, make sure you don’t suddenly run out. Contact your doctor in advance and ask for prescriptions. Additionally, consider contacting your therapist or other mental health professionals by phone or email. While attending face-to-face sessions may be difficult, if not impossible, you may want to sign up for an online appointment.
If you feel like the help you’re receiving is still not enough, get in touch with organizations that offer their support in managing mental health problems during the pandemic. You can also visit chat rooms and contact helplines, such as CALM, Samaritans, or Papyrus.
Final Thoughts
Feeling stressed, sad, unmotivated, and confused during a global crisis is totally understandable. The most important thing, however, is to understand your feelings and take action, instead of falling into despair. You are capable of dealing with every challenging situation life throws at you. Keep moving forward, one step at a time, and you’ll see that you’ll emerge on the other side as the winner.
About the Author: Harper is a freelance writer based in London. She is passionate about health-related subjects, especially the complex regional pain syndrome. Her mission is to help and make people aware of the modern world’s health issues by providing valuable content for all sorts of medical and lifestyle blogs.
Photo by Julian Wan on Unsplash
The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of www.rtor.org or its sponsor, Laurel House, Inc. The author and www.rtor.org have no affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios only.
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It’s especially stressful for young people living through this pandemic, especially when you consider how many people have missed traditional high school, college, and university graduation ceremonies. However, it’s important to note that this period is temporary and that, in time, it will pass. Great write-up!