If you are feeling anxious or blue during the quarantine, you’re not alone. It’s been a hard couple of months. To help get you through the crisis, and in support of Mental Health Awareness Month, here are some reminders to assist you in prioritizing your well-being and enduring the stay-in-place isolation.
You’ve been bombarded by news articles; the headlines are all the same and just. keep. coming. The quarantine memes are endless and may offer temporary distraction and comedic relief; maybe you have a “quarantine day #___‚” tracker as well. We’ve all had to adjust to this new normal, and we’re willing to bet you’ve had a rollercoaster of emotions and responses over the past 8+ weeks (or more).
Being in quarantine is really hard. No, it’s not just you. It is completely valid to struggle right now. Below are some helpful reminders of ways to take care of yourself during this time, as well as a few NEW hints you probably haven’t read about yet. If you are looking for more helpful resources, please visit some of the links at the bottom of this article.
This may be the hardest to maintain this far into quarantine, but it goes a long way. Or, maybe you’ve adjusted and are finding it easy to wake up early and continue with your normal tasks. Get yourself out of bed, brush your teeth, and get ready for the day. Take a shower or do your makeup if that’s what you’re into. Anything that will make you feel physically better. Once you’re up, it’s important to aim for eating 3 meals a day. It’s easy to lose track of time and forget to eat well while quarantined. Make sure you’re getting fulfilling meals and plenty of water.
Over the past few weeks, you’ve likely read plenty of well-reported content on how to cope with the unprecedented stress of the coronavirus outbreak and the self-quarantining that comes with it: get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals, exercise every day, etc. But, what you maybe haven’t read is how you’re likely not doing one of the things that will bring you the most satisfaction: staying hydrated.
A psychologist who specializes in anxiety and depression, Dr. Gregory Jantz, says that people forget to drink water when they are anxious. Dr. Jantz stresses the importance of continuing to drink throughout the day – especially if you’re working remotely – because water is good for quite literally everything: water affects mood, energy and concentration. Need some help? Set an alarm that goes off hourly to remind yourself to get up and refill your water bottle. And, take this time for a brief stretching break!
It’s so important to build breaks into your day. Just as you would at the office, make sure to take time to get away from your desk and hit refresh. Use your lunch break as an opportunity to make a picnic to enjoy on the grass outside (this is a great activity if you have kids as well!). Follow an online exercise class, or go out for a walk if permitted. Activities like dancing around the house, playing active video games, or playing with your kids count as physical activity, and can be a helpful way to break up your day.
It’s really important that we take a few moments to pause and really just relax ourselves and our nervous system. Practice a recommended technique called diaphragmatic breathing: lie down on your back and put your hands on your abdominal region. When you breathe in, make your belly rise. Pause. Exhale slowly, and as you do so your belly should fall. Stay in that position and take 10 deep breaths. Congratulations. You’ve just calmed your nervous system. This is vitally important during quarantine, as your brain may be cycling through a trauma response even if you’re not aware it’s happening! Curious what that means? Check out #5.
This is a hard time, an unprecedented time that we’re all living through. If your emotions feel like a rollercoaster, you’re not alone. We’re experiencing a collective trauma, and whatever you’re feeling serves a purpose – your brain is causing this as it cycles through the stress response. Because the threat of a pandemic is new in our lifetime, your survival instincts may not know what to do – so your brain cycles through all the stress responses, causing an influx of many different emotions for some.
How do we cope with this? To start, by controlling our breathing. If you can control your breathing and take a moment to notice the sounds around you, your brain will receive the message that you are safe in this moment and begin to come out of survival mode and back into connection / thinking mode. The more you do this, the stronger the reaction will be and the more grounded you can feel through this pandemic.
So, be gentle with yourself! Practice self-care in whatever form that looks like for you.
Finding ways to take care of your mental and physical health during this pandemic will serve great purpose. If isolation is hitting you hard, write a list of the people and activities that make you happy; try to find time to connect with at least one of these people and do something you enjoy every day. What other activities do you enjoy doing by yourself? Are there any books that have been sitting on your bookshelf forever? Consider downloading a mindfulness or meditation app and spend just a few minutes every day following a guided exercise. Maybe a hot shower or bath is your form of self-care. Whatever it may be, prioritize it and try to make it a part of your routine every day.
Once you’re back in the office, remember to continue making self-care a priority.
Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. If you are struggling, know that it is okay to not be okay. There is a lot of uncertainty in these unprecedented times. We hope this offers some helpful tips and tricks to help you prioritize your mental health through quarantine and beyond.
Additional resources:
Crisis text-line: a free 24/7 text line for those in crisis. Text “HOME” to 741741 to chat with a trained crisis counselor.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: if you or someone you know is in crisis – whether they are considering suicide or not – call this toll-free lifeline at 800.273.TALK (8255) to speak with a trained crisis counselor.
The Trevor Project: a national organization offering support, including suicide prevention, for LGBTQ youth and their friends. They are many resources offered 24/7 – call 866.488.7386, instant message a counselor on their website, or text “START” to 678678.
SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: 24/7 crisis counseling and support for people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call 800.985.5990.
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