How to Stop Isolation damaging your mental health
6 tips to reduce the impact on your anxiety or depression
If you have already been struggling with your mental health before things started going crazy then chances are you are used to living in isolation. Most people will probably not hesitate to tell you so along with multiple memes of the same story. But there is something different about this. When it was optional it was ok you had something to work towards. Like ok tomorrow I will feel well enough to go the park, or out to dinner, or the movies. None of those are options anymore. For most people particularly those with anxiety the cap on it all was the state of the rest of the world. While the world was functioning ok freak outs were limited to things like “OMG did that wave look weird?” “Did I remember to lock the door?” Without being able to calm yourself and let yourself know the worries while very real to you were able to be controlled. Now that the entire world is in a perpetual state of worry you are likely finding that your own has peaked above that. Besides now that everyone is anxious they don’t understand how crippling your condition can be. Sound like you or someone you know? Here are some tips to help yourself through these times.
1. Get online
I don’t mean for 12 hours of the day and finish Netflix. But find something that keeps you occupied as well as engaged with people. There are plenty of online gaming platforms you could join. Multiple social media groups for specific interests be mindful of not scrolling your feed too much as like most it will be full of the horrendous things 2020 is throwing at us. Plenty of general chat rooms and forums. You might even want to use this time to look into the online dating world if you are single. It’s actually a really good time since you can’t actually catch up for who knows how long you will weed out the people who are not genuinely interested. These will help you feel less along. Then by all means if you still want to binge 10 series of something then you may.
2. Read or listen
Plenty of people use the reason that they don’t have the time to read books. Well now there is plenty of time. Plus there has been the introduction of digital and audio books so there is always access wherever you go. There are so many benefits to reading or listening to other stories it is a great way to escape into other worlds. Though if fiction isn’t your thing there are learning books, self-help books and almost any topic you could think of.
3. Check in
Check in on your friends. This is abnormal for most of them. Being cooped up inside might not be as protecting for them as it is for you normally. A quick message or call or even organise group calls. Video calls can make their day as well. What better way to check on your friend then as a potato or with cat ears.
4. Make a routine
Sure it is probably going to be completely different to what you are used to but you will get used to it. It doesn’t mean you have to have a regimented schedule and be doing something at every minute of the day. But try and keep your meals, exercise and bedtime to a routine. These are the things we can generally control. Though there’s a chance you are not feeling like doing any of those three things at the moment at least give them a go.
5. Take care of you
It is so much easier said than done and the urge to sleep all day is probably very strong. Try and get some meals with a little nutrition in them. Try and get outside get some fresh air. Just in your backyard, or a quick walk up the street. Try and get a normal amount of sleep. Why not pamper a little bit while there is time. It not uncommon that you probably have some face masks or hair treatments or other things you never had time for or got as gifts and weren’t going to use so now is the perfect time to use them.
6. Just one thing
Some days will still be worse than others on those days it’s easy to not move, wear the same pyjamas for 3 days and watch about 40 episodes of something you wouldn’t be able to recall anything about. On these days make sure you do one productive thing. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s something you have thought about in the last week that you should really do. Just one that’s all you need to do. Then back to whatever you do when you feel like doing nothing.
Take care. Stay safe. Do what is right for you the same solution won’t work for everyone. Most people have found these 6 tips help a lot.
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