It comes to little surprise that during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic U.S. adults have increasingly reported feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. This is a major increase compared to reports before the pandemic, and for those already struggling with mental health issues, can greatly worsen their emotional health. However, there are some self-care strategies that can help you cope with these feelings in a safe and healthy way.
Taking care of your body by being mindful about your physical health is a major way you can decrease feelings of stress and anxiety. Participating in regular physical activity, even just taking short walks, can reduce anxiety and improve your mood. Setting time to relax is also just as important as exercise. Giving yourself a few minutes of quiet time everyday can allow your mind to recharge, reducing anxiety. You can try techniques like deep breathing or meditation, listening to music, or reading a book. Lastly, avoid harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Smoking tobacco or using a vaping device puts you at a higher risk of lung disease, which can be made worse by Covid-19. Alcohol can also make these feelings worse and reduce your ability to cope.
Taking care of your mind is another way to reduce stress triggers from affecting you. Keeping a regular routine can greatly aid your mental health. This can mean sticking to a regular bedtime routine, a consistent time for meals, bathing and getting dressed, work or study schedules, and exercise. Having predictability everyday can help you to feel more in control. Staying busy can also stray you away from recurring negative thoughts. Doing hobbies that you enjoy, or have always wanted to do, can be a positive way to manage anxiety. A simple activity you can do to keep your thoughts positive during these hard times is to make a list each day of things you are thankful for or wish to accomplish. These affirmations can clear your head of negativity and start the day off fresh. Make reasonable goals for yourself and give yourself credit for every step you make in the right direction.
What’s most important is to recognize what’s ‘normal’ and what’s not. Stress is a completely normal physical and psychological response to life events. Everyone has a different reaction to different situations, and feeling stress and worrying is typical. It’s when these situations multiply, and we are beyond our ability to cope that we must look for ways to help. Thinking anxiety and depression may go away on its own may worsen your symptoms, try these solutions or consider talking to a professional who can offer even more help.
