Don't Forget To Take Care of Your Mental Health During Quarantine

Published on May 14, 2020

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and during this time of uncertainty and the unknown during the pandemic, those who suffer from mental health are trying to cope with the new normal. Right now is a good time to take a step back and make sure that your mental health is a priority above all else, because without your mental health you won’t be able to finish daily tasks or take care of others.

With the pandemic flooding our everyday lives, some fear that we may have a mental health crisis in the near future. According to a recent mental health poll conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation, “nearly half (45%) of adults across the country (US) say that worry and stress related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are hurting their mental health, an early sign that the health and economic crises is likely to increase mental health problems and further stretch the system’s capacity.”

There are people out there that, because of social distancing, are feeling alone and lonely with increased stress. Also, the research notes that “negative mental health effects due to social isolation may be particularly pronounced among older adults and households with adolescents.”

Now that everyone has been working from home, taking classes online and adjusting to the new changes that COVID -19 has brought in their lives, and usually, the last thing most worry about is their mental health. Let’s not forget that we are humans and have to tend to our mental and physical health every day to make sure we are okay. So, here is a compiled list of educated sources for self-care tips that can help you cope during this time.

Change Your Focus Stray Away from Stressful and Anxiety Linked Things

We all want to know what’s going on in the world, and there is nothing wrong with that, but make sure you watch your intake on how much Covid-19 material you’re taking in. Before I felt like I was drowning in bad news, but once I took a break from it all I saw how much I changed and how I felt day to day. Try to stay away from negative things you see online on social media platforms as well. We already consume a lot about the pandemic daily, so try to keep your focus on something happy or keep yourself occupied.

Social Butterfly 

You don’t have to reach out to everyone in your contact list but reach out to friends and family and see how they are doing. Talk to someone, check on others to see if they are doing well. Keeping to yourself and not talking to anyone can make you feel lonely and can trigger mental health distress, and you don’t want that at all. Reach out and talk to someone even if it’s about that funny cat meme you saw the other day. Taking the time to speak to others can boost your mood and make others feel appreciated.

Take Breaks

It might be easy to continue working even in your off hours, but over working yourself can also lead to mental anguish. That can push you deeper and deeper into a hole that you don’t want to be in. Overworking yourself can cause stress, and most are already in a stressful time. Let’s not add on to that pressure. Get up and walk around or stretch. Go outside and get fresh air walk around your house, or even catch up on your favorite show. Make sure you take these regular breaks so you can keep yourself sane.

Have “Me” Time

Take a day or two, and have some time to yourself. Don’t work. Don’t watch any news, relax or meditate and take that time to yourself. Ladies, if that means pampering yourself go for it and guys if that means playing games or working out, then do it. You will not regret this in the end because once you start, you will realize that this is something you needed to relax your mind, body, and soul.

Jori Ayers is a Staff Writer at Grit Daily based in Tampa, Florida. She was formerly with the editorial team at Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.

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