Mental Health and Covid-19

“When you notice yourself feeling increasingly stressed, the best kind of coping skill is to do something that brings you joy.” - Whitney Wilson (Therapist)

SWATI JAISWAL . Sangyan

Remember how since childhood we were taught to take care of our physical wellbeing, very little or no heed was given to mental health. Mental Health is one of the most stigmatized health issues that humans face across the world.

Covid-19 has been in our lives for more than a year now and prioritizing your mental health has never been more important. While taking care of our mental health should be a priority at all times, the ongoing global pandemic makes it even more imperative to pay close attention to our mental and emotional wellbeing. Now more than ever required, we need to acknowledge and address this! WHO has developed materials on the mental health and psychosocial support aspects of Covid-19.

Staying sane in these trying times is a whole lot of task in itself. The second wave of Covid-19 has worsened the mental health crisis - that was set into motion the previous year. With India reporting lakhs of positive cases and huge number of deaths everyday, it seems quite difficult to master the art of being positive. Our daily lives have been extraordinarily dismantled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Albeit, there are many effective and plausible solutions to staying sane in our new Covid-19 world -

1. Follow a routine and maintain a healthy lifestyle

There's no denying the fact that the pandemic has disrupted the usual space and the flow of our lives, but maintaining a routine keeps us physically and mentally agile. This includes going to bed and waking up at regular times, following a healthy diet, maintaining personal hygiene and exercising regularly. Take care of your body, take deep breaths, stretch and meditate!

2. Avoiding excessive exposure to news channels and limiting screen time

While it's important to stay updated and informed, but it's equally important to monitor the amount of information we consume on a daily basis. Especially, if you are light-hearted try not to intake so much of it for it can leave you more distressed than before. Same goes for social media, too much of screen time causes stress. Be watchful while using social media for there are a lot of misinformation spreading online.

3. Inventiveness heals

Invest your time in creative efforts. Follow your hobby and try to be productive as it gives a sense of satisfaction and happiness. Do what makes you happy and gives you joy. Also, do not overstress yourself, it's okay to take a break.

4. Gratitude should be a habit (this is personally tried, okay!)

At the time I tested positive and was in isolation, I legit realised the importance being thankful and grateful for everything we have. Despite current hardships, we all have so much to be grateful for. Staying optimistic and hopeful gives in a lot of strength. Surround yourself with positive thinking, do not ponder much over what's not in our control. Maintain a sense of hope. Take a break, take it easy, this too shall pass!

5. Maintain healthy relationships and stay connected to family members and loved ones

6. Ask for help

The importance of reaching out when you feel stressed cannot be overstated. Speak your heart out, talk to your parents, a close friend or maybe a therapist. It's quite obvious to feel a certain amount of alienation and stress in these trying times, try reaching out a trusted individual. Study shows Indians feel lack of talk around mental health, but this shouldn't be the case when mental health has become such a crucial topic for all of us. Nothing like this has ever happened in the recent past, and we're experiencing times of loss and hardships and our mental health is at stake.

Let's talk about Mental Health. There should be NO SHAME in seeking help!

(Writer is student of MCU Bhopal)