The Effects Of The Coronavirus On Our Mental Well-Being

And what we can do to try and help ease the anxiety and depression.

I’ve never really suffered with anxiety, until I went into hospital in September. I struggle more so than I had before and it’s a constant battle to pull myself together so I can carry on with my day. The more I speak about it, the more I realise that there are many people who deal with anxiety and depression on a daily basis — on a level I have no idea about.

I’ve seen an increase in anxiety from a few friends I surround myself with, due to the coronavirus. Some of them deal with anxiety every day and others are experiencing anxiety for the first time in their lives. I thought I should do some more reading about the anxiety surrounding the coronavirus and this is what I’ve found.

According to an article written by The New York Times: When the pandemic leaves you alone, anxious and depressed

Social isolation generates at least as much escalation of mental illness as does fear of the virus itself.

Social isolation for me has been a bit of a struggle but I’m fortunate to be with my parents. For individuals who are completely isolated, it’s a whole new ball game. Although some people may be introverted, they’re missing the need to go out and spend time with the people they’re comfortable with. Extroverts are battling even more so because isolation is not something they enjoy for long periods of time.

We need to bare in mind that due to the coronavirus national lockdown and self isolation, there are now many more individuals who are vulnerable to the risk of suicide.

There are so many people who are struggling with the lockdown and self-isolation:

• Very young children who are unsure why they can’t see their friends, what could happen to their parents and if things will go back to normal
• Individuals who are struggling with “touch-deprivation”, not being able to hug and touch their loved ones
• Parents who are now trying to juggle their child’s academic schedule, their own work schedule, the lessons that their children’s extra curricular activities facilitators have arranged like the judo coach who has made online classes available for the children to do, and the music lessons to be done at home
• Teachers who are perhaps new to the online teaching and learning to cope with teaching digitally whilst managing their own personal lives
• Couples who are in self isolation away from their partner

So after much research and Googling, I came across an article that seems very useful to help people manage a little better:

11 Tips From Therapists on Coping With Anxiety During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic.

Please see the summary of the 11 tips below:

1. Accept that it’s normal to be stressed out right now. Don’t judge yourself for how you’re feeling
2. Identify your self-care needs and make adjustments to your coping mechanisms where you can
3. Learn ground, anchoring and other self-soothing techniques to calm yourself during moments of panic (I’ve included the four examples below from the article)
4. Move your body
5. Develop a mantra
6. Visualise a pleasant memort
7. Keep to a routine
8. Talk to someone who makes you feel better
9. Remember that hypochondria is a manifestation of anxiety
10. Take a break from your phone or computer
11. Set aside time to deal with the tasks you’re avoiding

Grounding, anchoring and self-soothing techniques to calm yourself during moments of panic:

• While seated, take your shoes off and plant your feet flat on the floor, breathing deeply while imagining that you’re putting down roots. “You’re literally breathing yourself back down to earth,” says Engel.
• Look around the room and identify things like texture, colors and objects — kind of like playing I Spy with yourself. You can describe what you see to yourself in sensory details, or simply point them out — for example, everything that’s the color blue. This focuses you on your immediate physical reality, and distracts you from following a train of what-ifs about the future.
• Yet another method is called anchoring: Select a physical object, like a stone or amulet, that you can carry in your pocket or keep on your desk, and reach for when you’re anxious. “A lot of people find a smooth stone, and they touch the smooth stone and feel more relaxed,” says Engel. This works particularly well if the object has a special significance to you — it was given to you by a loved one, or it reminds you of a significant event in your life — or you can assign it meaning. Maybe you just like the way it feels.
• Learn to self-soothe by hugging yourself, rocking back and forth slowly, or stroking your arm like you would pet a dog or cat. (If you actually have a dog or cat, petting them has a very similar effect!)

I hope the above helps those that may be struggling. Keep reaching out to your friends and family, and communicate with them regularly to ensure they’re coping. We need each other now more than ever.

The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness — Abraham Maslow