Staying Sane in These Trying Times
With the coronavirus threatening the mortality of anyone on this planet, you cannot help but wonder, am I going to survive this?
Like most human beings these days, ever since the pandemic broke, I am regularly having anxiety attacks. And these fears are not just for my own sake, but for my loved ones as well. This pandemic has made every one of us wary of the future.
And our fear is valid.
This virus does not discriminate. Young and old, healthy and weak, men and women, rich and poor. The thought of having any of our family members catch the virus is already a nightmare.
How do we go about dealing with this crisis?
We cannot and that is the hard truth that can drive us nuts, only if a cure or vaccine becomes available in the market. In the meantime, how do we go about living as normal as we can? Again, we cannot. But with discipline and awareness of what we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones, we can overcome these trying times.
One of the definitive learnings I gained from “Managing Your Mental Health Amidst these Uncertain Times,” a John Clements Mental Wellness webinar with Dr. Ma. Cristina Esquivel-Saldivar, is that we need to take care of ourselves first before we can take care of others.
How do we that?
Allow me to share some of my learnings from the webinar. I added some of my take with the sincere hope that you might pick up something here to alleviate that unwanted sense of despondency.
Physical Wellness
To take care of our well-being, we need to plan our meals right. Sure, stress can drive us to binge on sweets or junk food. But remember, cakes, ice cream, and pizza will do more harm to our body than we bargained for. Too many sweets may lead to diabetes and affect your cognitive function. It can make you forgetful as well. If you get sick, you cannot go to hospitals. You would want to be healthy, to live healthily.
If you can, consume fewer fatty foods, more vegetables. Take vitamins as well. Nutritious food and multivitamins can help strengthen your immune system. Knowing that you have a healthy immune system can put your mind at ease.
While eating healthy is good, do not forget to exercise as well. If working from home makes you sit in front of the computer for more than 10 hours, get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. Do muscle relaxation exercises, stretching. That is good for your body and your mind as well.
Lastly, don’t forget to have enough sleep. Six to eight hours a day will help you feel invigorated.
Vocational and Social Wellness
To take care of our social and intellectual wellness, there are some things we can do, according to Dra. Saldivar. If working from home, make sure that your workstation is comfortable; that you have a conducive work environment. Too much noise can distract us and hamper our efficiency and productivity.
Second, we need to keep up with relevant news. Refrain from reading fake news, as unfounded news can bring more worries.
Stay away from social media trolls. No need to engage with them. Save your mental energy for more productive matters — like that report your boss has been asking you to send last year. Heh.
Stay engaged and expose yourself to intellectual or creative group chats. Sure, it can be entertaining to gossip with friends, but how about joining creative groups instead? A poetry group for instance. Learn something new like writing Haiku or blackout poetry. Stimulating the brain by doing something creative can be liberating. Try it!
Spiritual and Emotional Wellness
To manage our emotional wellness, we first need to acknowledge our fears. If we lost a loved one because of this pandemic, it’s fine to grieve. Accept the current situation. If things get so overwhelming and we need to cry, do that with your trusted friends and family members.
Pray a lot. Prayers can do wonders. Find the time to talk to God at any time of the day. Be grateful no matter what the circumstance. If the moment seems unbearable, go to a quiet corner and say a little prayer.
Laugh often. Check out your cousin’s latest Tiktok videos. Read that friend’s commentaries on her husband’s grocery errand outfit. Read or watch anything that will take away your worries for the time being. You will feel a lot better afterward.
Practice a positive response to your negative thoughts. There is no better way to combat negativity than willing yourself to stay positive. Always look at the bright side. As the great Yoda once said, “When you look at the dark side, careful you must be. For the dark side looks back.”
Financial Wellness
If you are in a financial bind because of this crisis, there are several things you can do. Explore sources of funding aid. If you can, how about starting a small business? Selling homemade embutido or cookies or graham cakes to neighbors can be lucrative.
I know a lot of neighbors who have become entrepreneurs because of this pandemic. One started baking ensaymada for family consumption at first. Now they are selling to the whole village. Make sure to wear a mask when you go out to sell your goods.
If starting a business is not your thing, go search online. Despite the crisis, some companies are continually hiring. Check out John Clements Careers’ page. You might find your dream job there.
If you happen to keep your job, how about extending help to those who need it? You can also give financial help to those who are doing community drives. A kilo of rice and three cans of sardines is an answered prayer to some.
Helping others, no matter how small the deed is, can give you a priceless sense of satisfaction. And that my friend, is good for your mental health.
The bottom of it all is that, no matter what happens, if you are struggling, talk to someone you trust. If you think you need more than a chat, do not be afraid to seek professional help and treatment.
Remember to never ever isolate yourself. You are not alone. Someone out there is more than willing to spare some time to talk to you on the phone, via Viber. Call a friend now.
