The worldwide spread of COVID-19 impacted people in different ways. Some people continue to have difficulty coping with the uncertainties brought by the pandemic. In addition, unemployment, social isolation, and depleted savings may have led people to feel anxious, worried, powerless, and fearful. While all these emotions are valid, you can take action to manage them and prevent them from interfering with your daily life.
Acknowledge Your Emotions
Aside from losing loved ones to the disease, people are also grieving the loss of normalcy and certainty. Before the pandemic, you had a clear idea of what to do and what to expect. Those things may have changed as safety protocols were enforced, work setups were modified, and schools closed.
Since grief may not be an emotion you often experience compared to joy and sadness, you may not immediately recognize it and have a challenging time processing it. To improve your mental health, you need to know and acknowledge all the emotions you’re feeling. Whether it is anger, disappointment, or grief, write them down in your journal and take a moment to think about what made you feel a certain way.
On the other hand, recognizing when you have positive emotions like happiness is important as well. Instead of feeling guilty because others are suffering, allow yourself to acknowledge the emotion you are currently feeling and that it is okay to feel that way. This will also maintain your mental health.
Manage Media Intake
Staying informed is vital during these challenging times. It’s best to be aware of safety guidelines and what’s happening in your local community. However, not all information is reliable so make sure to stick to trustworthy sites like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and your local public health authorities. It is also important to remember that obsessively checking the news may cause you additional stress or anxiety. Instead, limit how often you check it. You may want to restrict yourself to checking social media only at certain times of the day or to only watch the nightly news. In addition, you may want to turn off your smartphone’s push notifications for news updates and only allow yourself 30 minutes in the morning and evening to scroll through the news feed. This way, you won’t get distracted or feel overwhelmed when there is too much bad news.
Get Physically Active
One of the easiest ways to alleviate stress and reduce depression is through physical exercise. But due to the limited gym access, you may have fallen off your usual workout routine. To get back on track, commit to at least 20 minutes of exercise every day. You may go out for a walk, play in the backyard with your kids, or jog around the block. Engaging in physical activity and doing them outdoors allow you to get out of the house while staying safe and contributing to your mental health. Also, you may want to schedule your physical activities in the morning so you can get exposed to sunlight. Natural light has been linked to helping boost moods and improving sleep quality, which improves your mental health.
Create and Maintain a Routine
Lockdowns have forced many people to abandon their usual plans and real-life social interactions, providing more idle time. For people suffering from anxiety, this is not good because their minds are left to wander. To keep you from thinking about the losses and events beyond your control, create a new routine that will help you cope with all the changes and keep your mind busy. You can start with creating an easy-to-follow schedule that involves school, work, meals, and sleep. Although these are ordinary tasks, they can help maintain a sense of normalcy.
When you are done with these daily activities, remember to include things you may enjoy doing such as watching a movie at home, playing games with your children or partner, and trying out new hobbies. You may also want to do activities that would give you a sense of accomplishment like cooking new dishes, cleaning your home, or starting a home improvement project. To remember your new schedule, write down your plans for the day or the week. This also allows you to help maintain a structure, which is not just helpful for people who want to improve their mental health during the pandemic, but also beneficial for those who attended a Tampa drug rehab center and similar facilities to support their sobriety.
Stay Socially Connected
Physical isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 may intensify the feelings of anxiety and depression. This is why it’s still important to stay connected while limiting in-person social interactions. You can make it part of your daily routine to contact friends and relatives. Instead of just texting, you may want to video call them and discuss other things going on in your lives and not just focus on the pandemic. For example, you may want to talk about a new book you recently read or the tricks your pet learned.
As more establishments open up, you want to take the opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones in person. You may want to invite them to a restaurant or cafes with outdoor dining options. Also, find social activities wherein you can avoid crowds like hiking or biking. This way, you can responsibly socialize while enjoying the health benefits of communing with nature.
The global pandemic drastically changed the way people lived. Even today as vaccinations roll out and businesses reopen, many still struggle to cope with stress and anxiety. This is why it’s important to take care of your mental health by adapting a post-pandemic mindset as you do your daily activities. But in case you feel like you can no longer handle the challenges alone, seek professional help immediately.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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