As you practice “social distancing” and/or self-quarantine, know that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. You may be overwhelmed with your new work-from-home life, or struggling to balance your parenting and work obligations, or simply reading too much news. Take a break at least once a week (though daily might be best) to check on your mental wellness.
Are you focused?
Can you pay attention to the task in front of you? Or are you moving in autopilot? Are you in autopilot because you’re preoccupied by thoughts of worry? Worrying is normative and understandable, but when it becomes the sole focus it can be to the detriment of other important tasks.
Tip: Build your focus muscle. Practice paying attention for five to ten breaths, focusing on the sensation of air coming in and out. This will help you stay in the present.
How often are you checking the news?
Are you able to walk away from the news? Are you spending so much time on pandemic-focused tasks that you’re ignoring phone calls, forgetting to complete other tasks and neglecting your self care? Are you missing virtual events or skipping showers without even realizing? Our anxiety and worry often convinces us we have to stay plugged in to feel better, but we often become more anxious the more plugged in we are. And it can keep us from completing important value-based tasks.
Tip: Set reminders on your phone to unplug from the vicious news cycle. Set reminders to focus on enjoyable tasks that are non-pandemic-related.
Are you irritable?
Are you yelling? Are you feeling tense and easily frustrated by minor comments? Are you feeling on edge? Anger is considered an iceberg emotion. You only see the top part of the iceberg, but there is more below the surface. Under the surface, you might be dealing with worry, anxiety, grief, sadness, depression, panic. Anxiety and depression can often manifest with irritabile actions, especially in kids.
Tip: Give yourself permission to feel. There are reasons to be frustrated right now. There are reasons to worry. Telling yourself you’re not allowed to feel or pushing down those feelings can make them feel worse and can lead to increased suffering.
Are you monitoring your physical health?
Chronic stress and anxiety can cause different physical symptoms. Negative mental health states can preoccupy you to the point of missing out on important parts of physical self care like regular exercise, meals, and sleep. Are you having increased muscle tension? Stomach issues? More headaches? This may be a sign that chronic stress is taking a physical toll on you.
Tip: Schedule self care and self hygiene. Eat regular meals and maintain regular physical activity. You can do this by finding a virtual yoga class. Practice meditation and relaxation exercises.
Are you experiencing panic and anxiety attacks?
Physical symptoms of anxiety are normal, particularly in times of acute stress, but pay attention to them. Are your physical symptoms becoming overwhelming to the point of becoming non-functional? Are you hyperventilating, experiencing a rapid pounding heartbeat, a sudden sense of doom, dizziness, lightheadedness, or numbness? While this would be a normal response to anxiety in the case of an immediate danger (such as an animal attack), when you’re in a situation where there is distal danger (ex. facing the long-term effects of coronavirus), these symptoms appear in the form of panic.
Tip: Use grounding techniques when having high physical symptoms of anxiety and name the experience. Say out loud, “I am feeling anxiety and my heart is beating quickly.” Notice the feeling of your feet on the ground. Notice five things that you can experience in the present with each of your five senses
What is your activity level?
Are you having trouble getting out of bed? Does it feel too difficult to make yourself breakfast? Is the idea of getting up to plug in your phone overwhelming? Are you unable to call a friend even though you know it’s a good idea? Changes in activity level and anhedonia (the loss of pleasure in things we normally enjoy) is often a sign of depression. However, if you’ve experienced high panic symptoms recently, your activity level may be impacted because you’re afraid to have that experience again and so you may not walk the dog or go to the grocery store for fear of this triggering panic.
Tip: Take small steps to increase your activity level and make yourself a schedule, even if the schedule is time in and time out of bed. Make your bed everyday, even if it’s just to keep you from getting under the covers throughout the day. Try to tackle something you’re afraid of each day. This might be something as simple as going outside for five minutes to get fresh air.
