As a psychologist, I think this COVID-19 is causing a huge increase in the number of new clients coming to me due to depression, anger, fear, phobia, and anxiety. Most people are scared of this rapid change and the Covid-19 epidemic is rapidly changing our world. Many people suffer from mental illnesses but very few people know about mental health because they don’t know what mental health is, so we need to first understand, “What is mental health?”
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What is mental health?
Good mental health is a balance between the individual and the world around them. To put it simply, many people do not have good relationships with their friends and surroundings because they suffer from problems such as depression, fear, anxiety, anxiety, and restlessness. They can’t keep long term relationships because they have difficulty establishing good relationships with others because of these mental illnesses.
Mental health refers to behavioral and emotional well-being. It’s all about how people think, feel, and behave. It can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health. Conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety can affect mental health and disrupt a person’s routine.
Everyone has some risk of developing a mental health disorder, regardless of their age, sex, income, or ethnicity. Social and financial circumstances, biological factors, and lifestyle choices can all shape a person’s mental state.
Covid-19 affecting our mental health in many ways. People are facing different challenges; people lost their jobs, they are confused, depressed anxious, and whatnot. Disturbed sleeping patterns, eating junk all day, lying on the bed for the whole day, binging Netflix are temporary entertainment subpackets.
Covid-19 has had the greatest impact on mental health at the individual level because of the sudden closure of the home, forcing people to live a life they never expected. It is causing anxiety, fear, anger, and a lot of negative emotions.
Lack of mental health awareness makes it more difficult for people to engage in creative and constructive activities, which can lead to individual anxiety, restlessness, depression, and anger in their relationships. As a result, enmity and many other problems arise.
Our normal routines are affected during lockdown or quarantine because many people feel lonely which leads to problems like stress, anxiety, restlessness, anger, and depression.
Many see this lockdown and global pandemic as a threat, but even in our tough situations, we can think of more positives. We have lots of time now and we can do a lot of things in this beautiful time, moreover a time for ourselves. So think wisely and schedule your daily routine in a healthier way.
As a psychologist, I would like to tell you some of the ways to avoid problems like stress, anxiety, restlessness, anger, and depression and stay positive in this pandemic.
Stay in touch with friends and family
We have a lot of time to spend with our family during this lockdown so never leave you completely alone. Stay in touch with your friends, relatives, and family. Staying in touch does not mean that Hugging friends at your home. Not isolating yourself completely means that you keep in touch with your friends and loved ones via video call or call.
Eat good & healthy food
Good food will help you stay healthy and boost your immune system. Go to bed on time and get adequate sleep to stay healthy. A healthy diet includes a balanced diet, fruits, juices, etc. Also, keep yourself hydrated and avoid excessive alcohol and smoking.
Engage in mental health activities
To get rid of mental illness you can engage yourself in various activities like playing with pets, reading good books, laughing with family and friends, and also meditating on a daily basis.
Exercising and meditating
Exercising and meditating for a few minutes every day, especially in the morning, will help you start the day with a fresh mind and improve your immune system. Exercise stimulates chemicals in your brain such as endorphins and serotonin that help you stay calm in stressful situations.
Turn off news notifications on your phone
Turn off news notifications on your smartphone to keep yourself away from coronavirus news. Because the more you keep yourself away from the news, the more you will be protected from stress. To relieve yourself, stay away from sources and people who share misleading information, as too much news about epidemics can cause stress or depression.
Engage yourself in the things you love
Get rid of unwanted news by getting involved in things you like. This is a great time to learn new skills. Don’t trust anyone and only stay in touch with people you trust and who have a good knowledge of the coronavirus. Avoid people who are already worried about COVID-19. I think if we want to get through this we need to start practicing self-care. Protecting yourself from a mental health illness is just as important as protecting yourself from the virus.
Be gentle with yourself and others
As the lockdown is going on, in such a situation, if a person gets upset due to any work or problem, then avoid getting angry or running away from your family because of your worries. Be kind to housewives, especially children, and others. If you find out about domestic violence, report it to the relevant authorities.
Pay attention to the children
If you have children in your home, you must realize that it is difficult to lock them down, so make sure that everything is going well for them. Monitor their eating habits and make sure they are getting enough sleep. Teach them at home so they don’t mind
Have all the necessary medical supplies with you
Make sure you have all the necessary medical supplies, such as first aid kits, sanitizers, masks, and gloves. Store all essentials and keep enough medicine at home for your pre-existing illness.
Keep calm
Our brain is a spiritual being to us because when we are depressed, our brain sends a message to our body in the same way, even when our favorite team loses a football or cricket match, we become depressed. Even then, our brain sends a message to our bodies in the same way. So we desperately need to understand that this is human life and in this life under normal circumstances have you ever counted dead bodies every day? How many people die every day even if under normal circumstances we start counting the number of deaths every day like this, we will never be able to get out of despair.
The way Corona is spreading, to win this war our weapon is not fear, but our confidence, and it is true that confidence does not come by itself; it has to be built through someone’s effective and productive behavior and work. So it is very important for us to be calm and confident.
In the end, I would like to say that if the good days do not last, then the bad days will also end. Learning all this is crucial to coping with the changes that are taking place in our world due to Covid-19 because we can progress through change or we may fail to develop but I hope everyone will make progress.
If your mental health is deteriorating continuously, you should consult with a top psychologist in Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad. You can book an appointment with a psychologist via oladoc.com or by calling at 042-38900939.
