The pandemic has affected a lot... Don't forget to stay on top of your mental health during the chaos.

With a lot of places coming back with COVID lockdown and restrictions, it seems like we might be on our way back to being inside more than we normally would be. During the pandemic in 2020, there were numerous articles discussing the mental health of people while being cooped up with themselves, roommates, loved ones, etc... I don't believe it will be as strict this time around, but with another wave of lockdowns and mask mandates, it's a good idea to be more aware of how we are when we are cooped up and made to sit with ourselves and our thoughts for hours at a time.

If you google "what were the statistics on depression during the pandemic 2020", you'll see this:

40.9% of respondents suffered from at least one mental health issue during the pandemic, including 26.3% who admitted to substance abuse to help cope. For those who were or still are affected by the pandemic, these are destructive behaviors that we don't always realize we are falling into. There's no reason to judge someone who becomes unaware of how much their mental health is being taken for granted. The amount of stress caused because of being restricted from going out and getting together like we normally would, that allowed for such a large group of people who relied on those normal everyday interactions to help them through their day. Take that away and you start to see the domino effect on their behaviors.

There were plenty of jokes about people being a bit more irritable than normal after having to be stuck at home, and if you had others in your house you most likely took that out on those who didn't deserve it. If you were alone, you probably became irritable and anxious because you weren't having the typical interactions you were used to outside your home. The thing that makes these all difficult to handle is that we don't realize when we are falling into these fits of irritability and frustration, especially with everything else chaotic going on around us.

A huge part of combating mental health issues is understanding when it's happening and knowing how to be aware in taking the right steps towards repair, and repair is the right word, no matter what stage or level of mental health issues you struggle through. The longer you go without realizing the signs the more likely you are to start going through mental health deterioration. The easier it will become to collapse under the weight of stress, anxiety, depression, and self-doubt.

The way people cope is different. Nobody is the same when it comes to working on themselves or their mental health, but with that, there's still plenty of things we can all do that will definitely be a big help when it comes to gaining more clarity during the haze of mental health stress. Some of that includes:

- Better eating habits

- Better sleep/more sleep

- Exercise (Even if it's from home)

- Taking a break, even if it's a few minutes

- Avoid alcohol, tobacco products, etc

- Breathing exercises

That's just to name a few. A few I recommend are making sure you catch yourself when you notice you are getting frustrated. Even if you feel like it's too hard to quickly rid yourself of your emotions, you should still be aware of when you are getting frustrated, stop yourself, and take a break. Remove yourself from the situation, and when you are ready, create a constructive discussion around what's bothering you.

Another thing is being able to remove anybody who's not following these steps in helping their own mental health. You always hear that you should surround yourself with those who aren't very dramatic or confrontational, and recently this one was a big eye-opener for me. We sometimes don't believe that this really affects us that much, but it's quite accurate. Especially when considered in a workplace setting. We've all had friends, acquaintances, and co-workers who have only contributed to our negative outlook at least once. Think of those people who constantly contribute only stress and negativity and how much of a relief it is when we aren't around them. It's never the easiest thing to do, and we can feel quite uncomfortable and almost guilty like we are doing something wrong, but when you stay aware of your mental health and you know this is something that will allow you to take some pressure and added unnecessary stress from your plate, you will understand how important it is and also reap the benefits when your mental health is back up on a positive climb.

Again, it's VERY easy to feel like we can push a lot of this to the wayside and be able to move on quickly, but it is detrimental to being able to fully allow our mental health to recuperate when we allow ourselves these things that take off certain pressures and stresses. Don't allow yourself to fall into that place where you think you can keep going while the weight of your world is on your shoulders. Take your mental health seriously so that way you can take on life head-on.