Taking Care of Your Mental Health During a Pandemic
I don’t know about you but lately I’ve been feeling so drained and frustrated by the pandemic. It seems like every step forward, we take three giant steps back. I know you’ve probably heard so much about the importance of taking care of your mental health at the beginning of the pandemic – but what about now? Since the vaccine rollout, many people have returned to their normal lives or routines, and the emphasis on mental health has thereby lessened. Although we are (thankfully) no longer at the peak of the pandemic, the pervasive and chronic nature of COVID may be impacting our mental health today. The pandemic has brought about sudden changes in people’s lives that are causing them to experience a significant amount of stress or have led them to feel anxious about the future. Some common stressors include unemployment, online learning, financial instability, loss of a loved one, or contracting COVID.
If you’re struggling to cope with the current pandemic, you are not alone! Here are some tips for taking care of your mental health during a pandemic:
Limit your Media Exposure
While staying informed can help you make decisions about your health, watching the news, scrolling through social media, listening to podcasts, or reading articles throughout the day can quickly become overwhelming. Several studies have shown that repeated media exposure related to the pandemic can lead to psychological distress. Limiting your exposure to media can help you to regain a sense of calmness.
Stay Connected with Friends & Family
Remember when during the beginning of the pandemic we were catching up with old friends, hosting virtual game nights, spending hours on facetime with family? Ironically, I never felt more connected to my friends or family than during this strong time of isolation. Now with restrictions lifted and lockdowns in the distant past, I find myself reverting to old habits of being too busy to hang out or too overwhelmed with work to call. Yet, talking to our loved ones can immediately improve our mood and allow us to feel a sense of belonging.
Know the Signs of Anxiety So You Can Respond Immediately
In college I used to get this weird uneasy feeling in my stomach that just wouldn’t go away. I remember feeling this way when my parents dropped me off at college for the first time or when I was applying to graduate school— but I never understood what it was. It wasn’t until starting grad school that I finally realized that this feeling, was anxiety. One of my professors always told us, “If you can name it, you can tame it” and he was exactly right! Knowing the symptoms of anxiety — racing heart, increased body temperature, shaking, sleep problems, irritability, shortness of breath, or uneasy stomach — helps us recognize that we are in distress! This is our mind and bodies’ natural responses to situations our brain perceives as being threatening or dangerous. It’s normal to experience some anxiety before a big presentation or job interview, however too much anxiety can be harmful. Anxiety can impact not only our minds but also our bodies so it’s important to be able to recognize the symptoms of anxiety and implement healthy coping strategies.
Express Gratitude
As I shared in a previous post, gratitude can be a powerful tool for coping with stress. It allows us to replace our automatic negative thoughts with positive healthy thoughts and is shown to improve our overall mood. Practicing gratitude daily builds our resilience, thus preparing us to face life's challenges. Yes we’re still facing a global pandemic, and there’s still so much to be grateful for like vaccines, masks, in-person work, boosters, good health, and family. Check out my post "Cultivating Gratitude" to learn more about ways you can practice gratitude daily.
Takeaways
You are not alone – many people struggle with coping with the ongoing pandemic
You may not be able to control the pandemic, but you do have the power to control how much news you watch or how connected you are with friends and family
Knowing the symptoms of anxiety helps us to recognize when we need to practice our coping skills
Expressing gratitude daily can improve your overall mental health
Comments