Managing Mental Health During a Crisis

By Daphne King, EdD

Loudoun Counseling & Coaching, LLC

. https://loudouncounselingcoaching.com/

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Managing Mental Health During a Crisis

This year we have all experienced uncertain and unprecedented times with the COVID-19 global pandemic. The pandemic has brought with it an increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression due to the social isolation that we are experiencing limiting much needed human contact. The symptoms of anxiety come in the form of excessive worrying with intrusive thoughts, feeling agitated, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, trouble falling or staying asleep, panic attacks, and avoiding social situations.

Here are some tips or strategies to help you manage your mental health during this pandemic and develop healthy coping strategies.

Tip #1, Limit News Watching

Currently with so many things happening in our country related to the pandemic, it is easy to spend countless hours watching the news. You want to be informed but not inundated with news. Decide what time of day you will watch the news and stick with that time and do not watch the news right before going to bed.

Tip #2, Limit Time on Social Media

Just as with news watching, we all sometimes spend countless hours scrolling through social media. I would suggest, limiting your time on social media to a set time each day, i.e. 30 minutes a day or one hour a day. Shut off social media and electronics at least one hour before retiring to bed.

Tip #3, Get Exercise or Physical Activity.

Moving your body and engaging in physical activity at least three days per week has been shown to improve mood and overall well-being.

Tip #4, Meditate

Meditation has been proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and help to regulate mood. Ten minutes of meditation is all you need to get started. There are apps you can use to help you start your meditation journey, such as Insight Timer and Headspace.

Tip #5, Seek Professional Help If Necessary

Dealing with the effects of a crisis or even the stress of the pandemic may lead to situations that prove to be too much to handle on your own. It is in these times, that you want to seek help from a professional to help you develop helping coping strategies to manage mental health issues.

As we continue to deal with crisis that may arise or the pandemic, it is important to ensure that you are taking care of yourself and addressing your mental health needs. The offered tips are a starting point to help you manage your emotions and mental health during any crisis or the pandemic that we are all experiencing.