Ways to take care of your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

It’s okay to say we’re in the midst of crazy, unprecedented times. It’s also okay to say that your mental health is a priority and that looking after your wellbeing during the global COVID-19 crisis is important. Whether you’re cooped up in your apartment or worrying about friends and family overseas, there are ways to ensure the chaos doesn’t become too much for you.

1. Accept that you’re sad (or angry or scared... or any other emotion)

The first step to taking care of your mental health is to accept whatever emotions you’re feeling right now as valid and real. Oftentimes, we end up in a state of denial in times of shock which can lead to depression, anxiety or emotional outbursts later down the line. Turn to others and open up about your concerns—you’ll realise that everyone is feeling a whole host of emotions based on their own circumstances and that you certainly are not alone. Sharing your fears and thoughts is not a weakness and will actually bring you emotionally closer to your friends or family. 

2. But give yourself space from negativity

If you're able to, allow yourself mental space from keeping up with the news and discussing the pandemic with others. The coping strategy best suited to you will depend on your personality, but you can try segmenting your time so that you have a designated hour (or more) of each day where you allow yourself to think about or read the latest news articles and feel your feelings, then spending the rest of the day engaged in activities designed to distract yourself from the current global situation.

Our minds have a habit of throwing up negative eventualities (e.g. “What if this goes on forever?”), so try countering these negative questions with positive ones (e.g. “What if this reduces global warming?” or “What if this brings me closer to my friends and family?”). Try reading “good” news headlines as well as negative reports and take the global situation one step at a time. Take every day as it comes and try to give yourself things to look forward to on a regular basis, remembering that this will pass.

3. Stay connected with others (virtually) 

One of the hardest parts of this pandemic is being physically distant from friends and family, but virtual platforms such as Skype can go a long way to helping you not only keep in contact with them but in tricking your brain into thinking you’re interacting with people. Human contact is important for mental health, but video calling can go some way toward undoing the negative effects of isolation. More and more entertainment venues are even putting on video conference parties, from Instagram Live concerts to “digital dance parties” which can simulate being out and about with friends without actually leaving the house.

4. Take care of others 

Doing good deeds for other people gives us a major mental health boost, making us feel great and offering a distraction from negative thoughts. If you’re able to leave your house, why not offer to buy essential goods for vulnerable people in your neighborhood (leaving everything on their doorstep to ensure a no-contact delivery)? Otherwise, you can get online and donate to one of the many non-profit organizations helping those struggling during the pandemic. Or why not donate your time—you could volunteer to supplement the home schooling of a child whose parents or carers don’t have the ability or resources to adequately do so themselves or offer your professional skills for free to someone whose small business can’t afford a contractor right now.

5. Keep exercising

We all know that exercising is beneficial to our mental health, but just because you can’t go to the gym doesn’t mean you have to stop exercising. Take full advantage of the opportunity to exercise and get fresh air, even if you only speed walk around the block or run like crazy for a grand total of 3 minutes. Any amount or duration of exercise can have a positive effect on your mental health, just exposing yourself to some vitamin D will give your brain and body a much needed boost. If you can’t go outside right now, you can turn your bedroom into a yoga studio or simply do jumping jacks in your room. You can find plenty of home exercise videos on Youtube, as well as trying subscription services such as Yoga International to boost your mood without leaving the house.