Ways in which you can protect your mental health amidst all the panic spread by Coronavirus
| Updated: Mar 16, 2020, 12:03 IST
It was only recently that news broke out about the Coronavirus affecting people in China and what we all thought would be an episode of the common flu has now taken a drastic turn as the virus has been deemed a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The virus has spread across 114 countries and has affected millions of people worldwide. The only ray of hope is that nearly 66,000 people have recovered from the illness that is still spreading like wildfire.
This, of course, has led to widespread panic as people have been trying their best to figure out what to do in such a situation. What's more, every single day there's some fake bit of information that starts making the rounds and causes even more panic amongst people. Needless to say, this can take a toll on mental health too. And those people who already suffer from anxiety or OCD are even more prone to having aggravated mental issues due to such panic and disorder.
"A lot of anxiety is rooted in worrying about the unknown and waiting for something to happen - coronavirus is that on a macro scale," agrees Rosie Weatherley, spokesperson for mental health charity Mind. So, what should one do to protect their mental health in this situation? Here are a few things you should keep in mind.
2. Mute things that trigger you: As we mentioned earlier, there's a lot of fake news spreading that could work like triggers. So, mute social pages that make you feel worse and try to skip all the content that could trigger anxiety.
3. Keep in touch with people: A lot of workplaces have asked people to stay indoors and work from home to help keep everyone safe from the virus. During this isolation, you might start feeling lonely which is why it's very important to stay in touch with people. Try to keep contact via texts and calls. Try to also use this time to do things you've been putting off like reading a book or cooking your favourite dish.
4. Don't get burned out: Don't let yourself spiral. The moment you feel like anxiety is creeping up on you, take a breath and pause. Try to sit and meditate for a bit and understand that this feeling will pass in just a little while.
Doing these things can help ensure you don't get mentally exhausted during such trying times. Make sure to keep your surroundings healthy and stay safe.
This, of course, has led to widespread panic as people have been trying their best to figure out what to do in such a situation. What's more, every single day there's some fake bit of information that starts making the rounds and causes even more panic amongst people. Needless to say, this can take a toll on mental health too. And those people who already suffer from anxiety or OCD are even more prone to having aggravated mental issues due to such panic and disorder.
"A lot of anxiety is rooted in worrying about the unknown and waiting for something to happen - coronavirus is that on a macro scale," agrees Rosie Weatherley, spokesperson for mental health charity Mind. So, what should one do to protect their mental health in this situation? Here are a few things you should keep in mind.
2. Mute things that trigger you: As we mentioned earlier, there's a lot of fake news spreading that could work like triggers. So, mute social pages that make you feel worse and try to skip all the content that could trigger anxiety.
3. Keep in touch with people: A lot of workplaces have asked people to stay indoors and work from home to help keep everyone safe from the virus. During this isolation, you might start feeling lonely which is why it's very important to stay in touch with people. Try to keep contact via texts and calls. Try to also use this time to do things you've been putting off like reading a book or cooking your favourite dish.
4. Don't get burned out: Don't let yourself spiral. The moment you feel like anxiety is creeping up on you, take a breath and pause. Try to sit and meditate for a bit and understand that this feeling will pass in just a little while.
Doing these things can help ensure you don't get mentally exhausted during such trying times. Make sure to keep your surroundings healthy and stay safe.