Mental Health Care In The Time Of Covid-19
We just celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month last May, yet the need to protect and nurture it has never been more stark, especially now. A lot of people now have a deeper appreciation and understanding of how important mental well-being is. When a lot of major cities all over the world went on lockdown starting in mid-March, we have had to make drastic changes in the way we live, work, and socialize. Because governments have taken measures to reduce mobility, pushed for social distancing, and called for home quarantines, we have had to adjust the best way we know how. And fast. It’s not a stretch to state that most - if not all - of us did not see this coming. We were all caught in a mad dash to substantially rearrange our lives and make accommodations for a way of existing nothing could have prepared us for.
How then can we take care of our mental health during this time of unprecedented upheaval? Where do we even begin to search for options to do just that? How can we significantly safeguard our mental well-being as we deal with all the other repercussions of this pandemic?
1. Tune in to your body
Our physical and mental health go hand in hand. We all know the importance of good and restful sleep, healthy food, and ample exercise. All these contribute to the release of happy hormones which result in better moods and a generally brighter perspective in life. When you’re attuned to your body, you can control your reactions and emotions better. Even just the practice of deep breathing, stretching, and some simple mindfulness exercises can equip you to be more centered and at peace. You see, when a person deals with a crisis, he knows that sometimes, circumstances will be beyond his control. Tuning into his body allows him to connect with all aspects of himself and regain a sense of balance which is crucial in self-management.
2. Acknowledge your emotions and thoughts
These are extra stressful times we are living in, and because we are already in a nerve-wracking situation, we think that we must never entertain anything negative. We might have led ourselves to conclude that even just one bleak thought or just a single grim feeling is detrimental to our overall outlook and will not bode well for us in the long run. On the contrary, it is actually important to acknowledge our feelings and thoughts, no matter where they fall on the spectrum. It is encouraged that we allow ourselves to acknowledge the different memories, emotions and musings that enter our minds. Doing so allows us to be kinder to ourselves, and to have the grace, appreciation, and gentleness to observe, and hopefully come to honest terms with our rawness and complexity as human beings.
3. Be present
This is in relation to what we talked about in Number 2. Being present creates a purposeful approach to not just coping with the pandemic, but also in creating an environment where our authentic selves can continue to thrive and flourish. It might be tempting to give in to the urge to become numb and unfeeling so we can just completely do away with anything unpleasant or difficult, but we must resist this. We need to continue engaging in life and actively pursue the things that still make us feel worthy and alive, even if it sometimes feels it would be easier to just detach and go on autopilot mode. Being present grounds us and does not make us mere onlookers of our own lives.
4. Act on what you can control and let go of what you can’t
Your values and personal convictions will guide you on what you can choose to spend time on during this pandemic. How you will use your energy and what you want to focus your attention on will provide you a way forward. There is no need to overthink these, and they will come to you naturally and organically. There is no rush to crystallize plans and have everything figured out, especially now. These things will gradually find their way to you, if you let them. Clearly, there are changes in the way we do things and how we go about our daily lives with the need for masks when going out, the practice of social distancing, and frequent handwashing. But aside from those, what do you really want to act on? Do you have any activities that you truly enjoy and anchor you? Is there anything you want to try doing? What are you curious about? What still interests you?
On the flip side, what should you let go of? You don’t have to take and tackle everything and put them on your plate so you have something to show for as you weather this pandemic. There will be days that you won’t have the focus and energy to do anything at all, and that’s okay, too.
5. Connect
A lot of people and their families are self-isolating in their own homes, and with the way things are going, it looks like things will not go back to how they were before, at least not completely, and certainly not anytime soon. That’s why the phrase "the new normal" is such a fitting way to describe how we will live from here on out. It might be a while before we can come together for things like weddings and birthdays. And where there were jovial handshakes and tight hugs before, there would be new ways of greeting and showing affection that we need to apply in the meantime as we ride this crisis out.
It must be stressed that connecting with people who make us feel loved and cared for is paramount. More than ever, we must still find ways to continue to connect with family, friends and colleagues. Our relationships play a vital role in feeling a sense of belongingness and acceptance.
Lastly,
6. Seek out resources
There are resources out there that offer support and advice. There are psychological services offered by medical facilities and the academe. In the technology space, there’s Infinit Care which is a mental health support platform that offers online counseling or telecounseling. Its team of mental health professionals and advocates can help you manage your mental health better and allow you to easily have access to them by just a simple and hassle-free booking made through the app. Instead of physically seeing a counselor, the session is conducted through video conferencing. You can also participate in and take advantage of webinars done by mental health experts. Infinit Care recognizes the need for accessible, trustworthy and reliable mental health support and provides that expertly and seamlessly through technology. These may be tense and uncertain times, but with the right resources, they don’t have to be.
If you would like to begin your mental health journey, consider signing up with Infinit Care for your first counseling experience.
