Marshall FluhartyMaroon Echoes Assitant Editor Since the state shutdowns and mandated/recommended quarantine, many people have been laid off or have been staying home for their health and safety. The unknowns and the solitude can be stressful. Staying home for so long with nowhere to go and little to keep yourself occupied is stressful too. In addition, there is the daily struggle of mental wellness during this time of panic. It can also be hard taking care of others with poor mental health. But there are many ways to cope with the issues involved with this mandated quarantine; many ways to help when you are hitting a mental rock bottom.
Reach out to friends and family is a good place to start. Talking to others can help with reducing stress, but it's important to ask if they can handle your baggage as well as their own. Piling your issues on top of someone else's will only damage your relationship. But if they are emotionally and mentally prepared to handle it, talk to them, relay your worries and fears onto them, allow them to help you, and talk out solutions to best help you both in your situation. A friend is always a good coping mechanism. Go on a walk and cool off. It’s okay to escape if you and your family or friends get into a heated argument. It may be hard to get away when everyone is stuck at home, but going on a walk around in the back yard or sitting in nature can be very beneficial. Stop and smell the roses, as the saying goes. Walking away from situations can reduce stress so when you go to face the conflict and resolve it, you can do it with a better mindset than when you left it. Exercise! Exercising is a wonderful way to take your mind off of something and focus on other more calming things. If you feel overwhelmed, and your plate is full, take a step back and breathe. Go do your exercise routine, stretch, mediate, run! Yoga is also a great stress reliever. And if exercise isn’t your thing, taking a step back and just taking a moment for yourself works just as well for reducing stress and dealing with big scary problems in small steps. Establishing at home routines is also a good way to keep your mind off of things going on around you. Self-care is an incredibly important part of taking care of your mental health. Remember to set a time to bathe, drink water, and eat proper meals. Set days for cleaning the house. Set a time every day for your exercise routine if you have one because staying active is essential when stuck at home. Set meal days like taco Tuesday or spaghetti Saturday! Spice things up as well, do some spontaneous activities like having the family go outside into the backyard and play a game or practice a sport safely. Doing these very simple everyday tasks will help to get you out of a funk, especially if you’ve been neglecting yourself. Keep in touch with your friends and distant family during this time as well. Talk to them, especially if you’re worried about their safety at this time. Worry causes more stress and talking to them and realizing they are alright is usually a big relief. But don’t over-worry as well, becoming obsessive and terrified about their safety will only cause you more strain than is necessary. Have faith in their safety! Don’t obsessively watch, read, or search for news broadcasts about the pandemic. Don’t google search case numbers around the world. It’s a big overwhelming number and it’s really scary to look at. Take a break from reading and watching news reports. Instead, read a good book, or watch a movie that brings you joy. Do things you love to do instead of watching every news channel known to man at all times of the day. Yes, this is a scary time, and it affects many people. We have very little control over conditions outside our influence. What we can is to take care of ourselves. So don’t forget to take care of family, but don’t forget that you’re important too and deserve the same care. Stay safe, and stay healthy! The article was written with the help of this article: https://www.verywellmind.com/protect-your-mental-health-during-quarantine-4799766
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November 2020
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