There is no denying that Covid-19 has created a generalised sense of unrest that can have an impact on our emotional and mental health. It’s easy to feel anxious, scared, panicky and to experience many other different and unpleasant emotions.
It is important to remember we haven’t previously experienced a pandemic in this way, so, most of us, don’t have an established mental framework on how to deal with it. This can make us feel disorientated, lost and afraid. Our sleep patterns can be disturbed, we might become overly worried about our friends and family, or we might be unable to disengage from the news and the constant bombarding of negative information.
This is what you can do to help yourself:
– Identify distressing thoughts: to think constantly about the illness can create a heightened level of stress. Look after your mental health by allowing your thoughts to focus on something else.
– Recognise and acknowledge your emotions: share how you feel with your loved ones, don’t hide it or repress it. It is ok to feel what you feel. It is ok to not be ok.
– Look for actual verifiable information: avoid information that is not official or scientifically based. Look for facts.
– Avoid being overly informed: being constantly connected to Covid-19 will not necessarily mean you are better informed and it might increase the feelings of fear and panic.
– Be realistic: do not overemphasise or understate the risk, particularly if you belong to the sector of the population that might be at a higher risk.
– If you are in isolation: remember that uncomfortable emotions can arise when spending a lot of time alone, this is normal. You might feel lonely, frustrated, angry, scared, fearful or anxious. Try to keep your mind distracted and use technology to connect with your loved ones.
– Keep up a routine: and use this time to do what you normally love doing and never have time to tackle.
– If you are ill: again, monitor what you are thinking to ensure your thoughts are being realistic, don’t let the mind ride a wave of fear and ensure you keep connected to people.
If you are struggling, I’m happy to do a short phone consultation for free and to see you for a session online at a discounted rate.
Email Lucia for a free consultation