How to stay mentally healthy during the lockdown

Lockdown has been a tough time for most of us as it has meant a total cut off from the outside world. It not only means added household responsibilities but also changes the way we used to carry on our day to day work. To some it may mean long lonely boring days, to others it may seem like rough exhausting days with a lot of physical work. The most unfortunate are the ones who have lost their jobs and are finding it difficult to meet both ends meet. Nonetheless, it means at least one common thing for everyone – STRESS!

Stress may be defined as a state of psychological imbalance resulting from the disparity between situational demand and one’s ability to meet those demands.

Since we are not used to being at home like this, it can be implied that this lockdown is a stress for most of us, if not all of us. Now, the more important question is how to handle this stress?

Here are some useful tips to stay mentally healthy during this global crisis.

1. Keep yourself busy – Whether it is an old hobby or a new skill or any household chore that is keeping you busy, it is important that you don’t sit idle. If nothing else, please tend to the old or look after the very young. The point is to keep oneself occupied in some physical work. If you are not able to figure out what to do, please click here for a list of options to engross yourself.
2. Don’t overthink – Thinking too much about how the future is going to be is not helpful. Focus on the present time. Sort out the issues you are facing right now. Cross the imaginary bridges whenever you arrive there. Right now, it’s a total lockdown. So stay at home, enjoy your own time and get close to yourself!
3. Be grateful – Thank God that you are alive and be grateful of the things you already have! If you have a house to live, food to eat, loved ones by your side and you are not infected by Corona virus, you, my dear, are the luckiest person on this planet right now.
4. Take care of your health – This is the right time to take care of yourself. Eat healthy, sleep adequately and exercise daily. If you are on meds because of any ailment, don’t forget to take them on time. Try to stay away from alcohol, tobacco and all other psychoactive substances.
5. Stick to a daily schedule – It is difficult to have a regular schedule when one is completely locked at home. However, it is extremely important to follow a time table to keep yourself up and about. Getting up on time, taking meals on time, doing the morning chores on time help to maintain the biological rhythm intact which further keeps the mood and the energy levels uplifted.
6. Be empathic and supportive – Rather then fearing or hating the people afflicted with the virus, one must have a supportive approach towards them. Also, showing compassion to people who are hardly able to survive the lockdown (daily wage workers, maids, drivers etc) will go a long way in handling this time of crisis.
7. Show solidarity – Please follow all the norms of the law, community and medical advisory in this very taxing time. It is unfortunate that we are facing such an extraordinary situation but if we all stay together, we all are bound to come out of this safe and sound!
8. Talk it out – It is natural to feel confused, fearful, anxious or depressed at such times. If you think, you are overwhelmed with negative emotions, please talk it out with a mental health professional at the earliest. We all are working remotely to help our clients as much as possible. Don’t feel shy in asking for help.
9. Be appreciative of those who are out there – While we all are at home safe and sound, a lot of people are out there putting their lives at stake every day. Healthcare professionals tending to infected patients in isolation wards, security guards, delivery boys, safai karamcharis, grocery store guys, supply chain drivers and many others are still working on a daily basis to protect the rest of us. A word of praise and encouragement can go long way in motivating these high risk job people.
10. Connect with the higher power – Praying generates faith. Faith builds hope. Hope instils motivation. Motivation helps in getting things done. Doing things the right way brings happiness. So don’t forget to pray in whatever manner to help ease out the tension!

Let us do our finest to get the better of us in these hard times. Promise to yourself that you will not do anything harmful to others and to yourself and you will take the best care of everyone you can!

Wishing you the best of mental health today and always!

Dr Apala