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Depressed boy sitting by the window, wearing surgical mask. During quarantine in COVID-19 … [+]
1 in 2 people suffering from anxiety, depression during Covid.
By Samantha Walravens
As 2020 progresses and the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, the number of people reporting mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and stress, has skyrocketed.
According to recent data, symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders have more than tripled among American adults compared to this time last year, with black and Latino women and communities hit the hardest.
And in a study published today, on World Mental Health Day, by the International Committee of the Red Cross (IRCR), more than half (51%) of respondents in seven countries reported that the global health crisis it has negatively affected your mental health. .
The data is disturbing, but not surprising, says Dr. Teralyn Sell, Ph.D, a psychotherapist and brain health expert.
“Over the past seven months, the world has experienced a high degree of change, isolation, unrest and loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he explains. “People have lost their jobs, their loved ones, and are struggling to maintain a sense of normalcy while life feels anything but normal.”
This experience has had a serious impact on our collective mental health.
However, there are tools that we can all employ to help improve our psychological well-being during the Covid era. From maintaining routines to stopping negative self-talk, Dr. Sell shares some of these coping mechanisms with us.
One: Focus on the things you can control.
Human beings thrive when they have certainty in their lives. This is how we stay safe, explains Dr. Sell. It’s scary and exhausting to feel out of control. Sadness, hopelessness, fear – those emotions will wear you down.
She recommends focusing on the things in your life that you can control. For example, we can control going for a walk or eating healthy foods, but we cannot control what other people do or say.
Two: adjust your self-talk with positive self-talk.
Emotional stress is a big part of mental well-being. In fact, emotional stress has a lot to do with grief, loss, anxiety, and fear – emotions that many of us are experiencing during the pandemic. Your internal dialogue accounts for a large part of your emotional stress. Your self-talk is likely the result of your general perception of what is happening in your life.
Often, he takes a posture of fear or doom. Instead, watch when your dialogue turns fearful or negative and say “STOP” and then say an easy phrase, song lyrics, or something else that stops the negative dialogue. You can go one step further and just say “I’m fine.” If you start doing this, you will eventually create a new neural pathway that is the key to better speaking to yourself.
Three: use your senses in a new way.
Our senses are important and we often passively pass them by, such as when we smell something good or bad. But, if we can use our senses on purpose, they can be a powerful tool in coping, explains Dr. Sell.
For example, our sense of smell impacts our limbic system (emotional center of the brain). Smell can help us remember memories (good and bad). So when you’re stressed or even depressed, grab an essential oil, something like orange or peppermint, and take a big puff from the bottle. It will instantly put a smile on your face and lift your mood in a positive way. Combine that with the words “I’m fine” and now you are creating an association between a smell and a positive mantra.
Four: stick to routines.
Our body is used to patterns and structure. We thrive on consistency, but the pandemic has made many things in our lives inconsistent: parents working from home, children doing school online. There is so much chaos around schedules that our brains are likely to pause in a fight or flight response when the next change occurs.
It’s important to create structure around your work and school day, says Dr. Sell. She recommends maintaining the same sleep-wake pattern by going to bed and getting up at the same times every day. “Don’t let the days get reluctant or you could put your emotions back in a state of chaos.”
Five: Limit your screen time.
During Covid, screen time has been integrated into our day in a profoundly limitless way. From working from home to logging into school online, our eyes and minds have become weary with the screen. Dr. Sell suggests turning off screens at the same time every day. Also, think about a blue light blocking screen on your monitors or wearing blue light blocking glasses.
Another tip? Use textbooks, worksheets, or printed materials more often, and be sure to turn off your computers when you’re done with work or participating in school activities. In other words, don’t go from work to social media without a long break. Set a time limit in front of the screen during the day and be sure to turn off screens at least 2 hours before bedtime. Screen time interferes with serotonin production and therefore melatonin production, which will negatively affect your sleep.
Six: Connect.
Loneliness and isolation have become problematic during the pandemic. If you feel lonely or isolated from your friends or family, it is time to act. Fortunately, there are many ways to connect through live chats while watching a show on television or having in-person calls with family and friends. One thing I have seen is an increase in people joining support networks on social media to feel connected again. So using social media groups productively, rather than mindlessly scrolling, can help you feel more connected once again. However, if your loneliness turns to despair, seek professional help immediately.
