As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it greatly affected our lives, creating an emergency state globally. The COVID-19 pandemic endangers not only our physical health but also our mental health as well. As this pandemic continues, it also limits our lives, making us prone to feel overwhelmed by different kinds of emotions. Concerns regarding mental health and substance have grown, including concerns about suicidal ideation (Panchal et al., 2021).
There are many factors in this pandemic that can affect our mental health. The stress of being isolated from others, worries about jobs and financial security, health, and some losses in this pandemic can trigger anxiety and depression. Life can seem hopeless during these times, and many negative emotions could overwhelm us, resulting in depression and could interfere with our daily lives. Learning and noticing early signs of depression, especially at this time, could help us take an immediate course of action and help lessen or help us deal with it. Here are some things that you could do to cope with depression during the pandemic:
Change your focus
It is not easy to change our focus during these circumstances, and taking the first step is always the hardest. But changing your focus could go a long way. You always have more control over your mood and how you feel. During these times, it is a given that we are undergoing some challenges, and depression could make things worse. Depression could fill us with negativity and drain our motivation away to do the things that we enjoyed before. Recognizing those things could help you see a clearer view of what you should focus on more and help you take your first step towards a more optimistic perspective.
Distract yourself
Find simple sources of joy
Limit your consumption of news
Maintain a routine
Express gratitude
Find new ways to engage with others.
This pandemic continues to limit our way of life, and one of them is how we usually socialize with other people. Meeting people in person is challenging to do now, but that doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself and stop interacting with others. Face-to-face contact is still the best way to improve our mood and help our well-being, but interacting with others through chat, phone calls, or video calls could still allow you to be connected with other people. Remember that reaching out and staying bound is essential.
Learn how to CONNECT with others
Move beyond small talk
Share about yourself
Adopt healthy daily habits
Daily habits play a significant role in your overall well-being. During this pandemic, having a healthy daily routine is a must. Sometimes, you may slip out and make unhealthy habits, especially if you are stuck at home and doing nothing. You may sleep late, overeat, drink too much to fill in the gap. But having a healthy habit and maintaining it could help you better and improve your well-being.
Get moving
Practice relaxation techniques
Eat a mood-boosting diet. Sleep well
Use reminders to keep yourself on track
Reference:
Salari, N., Hosseinian-Far, A., Jalali, R., Vaisi-Raygani, A., Rasoulpoor, S., Mohammadi, M., Rasoulpoor, S., & Khaledi-Paveh, B. (2020). Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Globalization and Health, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00589-w
Weber, M. (2020, May 30). Dealing with depression during coronavirus. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/dealing-with-depression-during-coronavirus.htm
Dealing with depression during coronavirus. (2020, May 30). HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/dealing-with-depression-during-coronavirus.htm#
The implications of COVID-19 for mental health and substance use. (2021, April 14). KFF. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/
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