Say Hello to Good Mental Health during Lockdown

A study conducted by the Times of India revealed that there has been a 25 percent recorded increase in mental illness amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The breakdown of these disorders is yet more terrifying.

·         Panic attacks have skyrocketed to 44%, which is the biggest hikes of all times

·         27% more depression cases are being recorded post-lockdown

·         A fat figure of 61% of Indians battling the issues of mental health during lockdown, is worrying the health experts

It's been days, rather months that we didn't step out of our houses confidently. We are bound to confine ourselves inside the bulwark of our houses. Not only the nationwide shutdowns have compelled us to stay in our homes, but also the fear of getting infected with coronavirus has leashed us down. The horrifying situations are such that we can see death dwelling outside our doors and windows, and ever ready to take us and our loved ones to the heavenly abode along with.

Humans are social animals, and isolation and loneliness are the hated things for us. The pandemic brought to us what we hate the most – trapped in our homes, and distancing ourselves from society. We know that social distancing is the need of the hour, and the only solution to break the chain of infection, yet we are facing the repercussions. The overturned behavior is taking a toll on our health, especially the mental one.

If you find yourself struggling to beat down the mental health disorders amidst COVID-19, or worrying about becoming a future victim then take a deep breath, and thank yourself that your search ended up at the rightmost place.

Here are 6 tips for you to care for your mental health during COVID-19. Follow these, and say goodbye to the mental illnesses.

1.       Refrain from Too Much News

Nowadays, the media can be seen oozing with coverages on the pandemic round the clock.

Staying aware of the latest happenings is a must, but involving oneself into too much of the updates is an invitation to panic, stress, and worry.

Making a schedule to follow up with the current updates is the best way to break out the tension caused due to too much news exposure. Refrain from listening to news channels, or scrolling through your news feed for the times other than the scheduled one.

2.       Limit Social Media Usage

Social Media is the most favorite hangout place for most of us. People of all age groups just love to scroll through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and other feeds on their devices during leisure time.

Behind the wild-fire spread of rumors and panic-creating news, social media always contributes the largest. Sometimes false updates are forwarded at a humongous scale, which creates mass panic and other stress-borne mental issues.

To avoid all the tension-causing posts and updates from coming across your sight, the only solution could be limiting your social media usage. Book a time a slot when you can engage over social media, and stay away from the platforms during the remaining time.

3.       Stay Connected

Distancing does not mean to push oneself in isolation. Maintaining a physical distance with others to protect yourself from getting infected is a necessity, while isolation could negatively impact mental health.

Lockdowns can stop one from stepping out unnecessarily and getting infected, but staying in touch with your friends, family, and loved ones over phone calls, face-times, etc., while being at home has no restrictions. So, involve in contacting your loved ones over regular periods, talk your heart out, and feel contended that they are with you even during such a difficult phase.

4.       Practice Meditation

Agreeing to the fact that the pandemic crisis is causing a huge amount of stress in every mind. No matter how much we try to refrain ourselves from stress-causing news updates, we unintentionally are getting to hear from our friends, family members, colleagues, and neighbors about the per-day worldwide mortality, the spread of the disease, extension of the lockdowns, and post-pandemic impacts on the economy and businesses. And the bitter truth is that we cannot ignore them.

Meditation is the way to detach your mind from tension and lead yourself towards mental peace. Find some room for practicing meditation for some time. Tune in to some soothing music, try keeping aside all your worries, and dive into meditation.

5.       Make a Schedule

Many are considering the lockdown period to be a long vacay. The relaxation phase, thus, seems to be never-ending, and as a result, the sleep schedule, mealtime, and everything has shifted from the original schedule.

The randomness and un-organized activities affect both physical and mental health. Try re-organizing your daily activities, place all of them in a schedule, and try to abide by it. This will automatically reduce the headache of completing something on time, eradicate the worry of missing out something, and improve your health multifold.

6.       Positivity is the Key

Mankind will surely win over the dreaded monster, and emerge out triumphantly from the battle of mankind vs. coronavirus. This will take some time, and not eternity certainly.

Keep up the good hope that irrespective of how deep our bruises will be, the warrior spirit among all of us will never let the lamp of life fade away. We will rise again, and the situations will fall back into its normal phase.

Motivate everyone around you to never give up positivity. Encourage others to look upon this phase as an opportunity to learn something new, practice all the pleasuring activities, and spend valuable time with the loved ones. And ask them to patiently wait until the phase is gone, and watch all of us rise again and get back into our daily lives.