Mental health plays a really crucial role in fighting COVID-19. Owing to the pandemic, many countries including India have implemented various social distancing measures. This has been causing a lot of disruptions to people’s daily routines, as most are restricted from even stepping out of their houses. The pandemic has brought great socio-economic uncertainties, giving rise to increased anxiety, depression, addiction and suicide in the world around us.
Mental health has become an important issue going forward. Everyone deals with crisis and stress differently. Therefore, a healthy psychological state will become a more important issue for each individual going forward.
Here are a few helpful COVID appropriate behaviours that one should inculcate in order to strengthen mental health:
1. Have Compassion: Even if you don’t necessarily see yourself that way, I bet you’re compassionate at least some of the time or with certain people in your life. This compassion that you feel is now needed to be expanded to a whole lot of people. There are many who need your help and if you can support them anyhow step forward. Helping others would make you feel happier. You will feel a sense of accomplishment which will elevate your confidence.
2. Care for self and others: Start with self-care. Follow up with a plan. Begin with your normal routine to the maximum extent possible. Practice oral hygiene. Take a shower early in the day. Put on clothes that you feel good in. One of the simplest ways to manage through the chaos is to put yourself in routine. Schedule regular exercise, which has well-documented healthy psychological benefits. Try taking on an everyday meditation, if you haven’t already. Once you are done with self, focus on others. Be compassionate.
3. Positive Manifestation: Manifestation is more than just positive thinking and belief. It is about your thoughts, actions and emotions. Do not just speak out or write down positive affirmations but also practice them, feel them to be true, connect your emotions to them and they will be true.
4. Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s feelings and share them. Empathy can help you release toxic emotions like anger, jealousy, and resentment. Such emotions can take a toll on your mental health and hence empathy is an important component to help you deal with your mental health.
5. Helping hand: We might not be able to help everyone, but there might be a few whom we can help. The ones we help may or may not be able to return the favour but no matter what we should still help. We need not put any conditions on helping people. Let the cycle of giving run its course. Helping people would also eventually make you happier.
6. Gratitude: It is the most powerful tool to feel good and optimistic. Research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression. Gratitude is a major contributor to building resilience. Keep a gratitude journal and every night before you sleep write at least 3 things you are grateful for. It has also been proven that being grateful helps you sleep better.
7. Count Your Blessings: In these uncertain times, count your blessings. Even when the most basic needs in your life are filled be thankful that you are not devoid of the basic necessities. Be happy that you have food, clothes to wear and shelter over your head, a working healthy body. Be happy of what you have and keep moving towards the better.
DR. BHAVNA BARMI
CHILD AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST NLP PRACTITIONER AND
RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST FORTIS ESCORTS HEART INSTITUTE,
NEW DELHI FOUNDER- HAPPINESS STUDIO
+91-+919560976902
