How to take care of your mental health during COVID-19
7/21/2020
Coping with the reality of living through a pandemic can take a toll on your mental health. Being in isolation can cause or trigger depression, anxiety, stress or other serious issues. Set aside some time to check in with yourself and make sure you’re handling these feelings in a safe and healthy way.
How the pandemic could be affecting you
We all experience stress in one way or another. Whether you’re feeling stressed about your own health and the health of your loved ones or about changing your lifestyle, it’s completely normal to be overwhelmed by the current state of the world. This stress might manifest itself in seemingly benign ways, like changes in eating patterns or difficulty sleeping and concentrating. However, stress can also cause chronic health problems and serious mental health conditions to worsen. Whatever it is you might be feeling, you’re not alone. You can find a healthy way to cope that will benefit your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
Tips to protect your mental health:
Take care of your body from the inside out. Even though your daily routine may have changed, it’s crucial to keep your body healthy and happy. Eat balanced meals, exercise regularly, get fresh air, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol and drugs. It’s easy to forget that these small actions can make a big difference for your physical and mental health.
Take a news break. With more time on your hands, you might get caught up in the news more than usual. While it’s important to stay educated and informed, it’s also important to give yourself a mental rest. Hit pause on watching, reading and listening to news stories to mitigate stress caused by the never-ending news cycle. If your screen time has been rising over these past few months, try unplugging for a few hours or even days. Log out of social media accounts and replace your screen time with a new offline hobby.
Connect with others. Make time to catch up with friends and family either with a socially-distanced outdoor meet-up or via video chat. Social distance doesn’t equal emotional distance. Talking about these stresses with someone you trust might help you cope.
Educate yourself. One factor that leads to a lot of stress is the fear of the unknown. If you’re stressed about contracting COVID-19 or think you may be showing symptoms, contact a doctor to make sure you know the proper steps to take if you are sick. Finding your nearest testing center and creating an isolation plan might help settle your mind.
Seek virtual help. Many doctors and counselors are offering online options for therapy and other forms of treatment. Learn how and where you can find the help you need to cope with these difficult circumstances. If you’re in Newberry, SC and are in need of emergency medical attention, please visit us at Newberry Hospital or call an emergency line. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 to provide free and confidential support.
We will continue to abide by CDC recommendations and implement safety measures at Newberry Hospital to ensure the safety of our patients and staff. Like and follow the Newberry Hospital Facebook page for any updates in procedures. Reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. We are always here to help.