How to Stay Mentally Fit During a Pandemic
This past weekend I was pleased to hear NY Governor Andrew Cuomo addressing the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the ensuing shelter-in-place strategy most of us are following. Cuomo said, “The stress, the anxiety, the emotions that are provoked by this crisis are truly significant…They’re nervous, they’re anxious, they’re isolated. It can bring all sorts of emotions and feelings to the surface.”
Compound these feelings with our limited ability to engage in the normal activities that help us: work, exercise, school, being with friends – this has a profound impact on our brain chemistry. Our big, complicated brains start overthinking, ruminating, and often our thoughts go in a negative, catastrophic direction.
The mental health community has been mobilized and called to action in a way we’ve never seen before, because staying physically healthy and psychologically healthy are closely linked. The list below offers some guidance that can help everyone stay grounded and mentally healthy during this time.
1. You are a Sponge – Understand that you are absorbing the anxiety around you whether you are conscious of it or not. Listening to the news, seeing people panic-shop, reading social media…we are all feeling this. It is normal right now to feel like you are on an emotional roller coaster: terrified, angry, confused, sad, depressed. We are emotional sponges and we naturally absorb what is going on around us. Do you feel crazy right now? Join the club!
2. Set Low Expectations – Many people are struggling to find balance between work and e-school with the entire family home. Old family dynamics start up again and people start fighting. Parents are pulling their hair out trying to home school their kids. Moms are trying to stock up on food and feed everyone. My advice to my patients right now: “Your goal is to stay home and be healthy. Period. Don’t put extra pressure on yourself to complete a long-desired project. Don’t try to solve deep seated family issues. Don’t pressure yourself to be a great home-school teacher to your kids. Just stay home and stay healthy.”
3. Soft Structure – In researching the impact of isolation for this article, I looked at other periods where people had to quarantine (2002-2004 SARS), how prisoners of war coped during their capture, and how incarcerated people stay mentally healthy. The common theme that emerged was to maintain a manageable routine. Get up around the same time, make the bed, get dressed, get some physical activity, and eat regular meals. I have noticed time and again with my patients that the individuals who stay on a somewhat regular structure have less incidence of depression and anxiety. I truly believe the brain craves patterns: “up, active, eat, rest, repeat.” Here is my own structure: Wake up, make bed, dress, go for a walk outside, get kids settled in their on-line school, see my patients via Telemedicine, do afternoon tasks, have dinner, read a book, sleep. That’s pretty much it.
4. See Faces, Hear Voices – Right now we are craving social interaction, but I think it’s important how you have social interaction. I find myself more anxious and unsatisfied if I am just texting people or interacting on social media. I feel calmer and more connected by hearing a person’s voice on the phone or seeing their face via FaceTime (Skype, Zoom, etc). With social distancing, we need to see people’s eyes light up, hear them laugh, see them smile now more than ever.
5. Get Near Green – There is something immediately gratifying when the brain is exposed to the natural world. Getting outside, looking at grass, trees, listening to birds…all of this resets our brainwaves to the “calm” setting even if just for a moment. Placing small pots of herbs for your windowsill can bring this green inside. Fragrant plants like mint, basil, and lavender are particularly helpful in stimulating the olfactory centers of our brains to think “all is ok”.
6. Activity – Another important point that came up repeatedly in my research is that confined people must stay moving. Physical activity gets the brain chemistry “reset” in order to face the day. I absolutely loathe working out, so going for an early morning walk (before the family is up and people are out) puts me in a better mindset, and if the whole day falls apart, at least I’ve done the walk. Again, low expectations!
7. Let it Go – The stress of this pandemic is hitting everyone in different ways. Your family members are responding at different time frames and in different manifestations. Give your loved ones more emotional space than normal to the extent that you can. If a family member is getting upset over something that wouldn’t normally be a trigger, chalk it up to COVID-19 and help them let it go.
8. Talk to a Professional – Over the past few weeks there has been an explosion in the need, and thankfully the resources, for people to talk to a counselor, therapist or psychiatrist using Telemedicine. Government restrictions on the use of platforms like Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom have been lifted so that people can have access to mental health care from the safety of home. For further information on this, Psychologytoday.com is an excellent resource to find a care provider. It also provides an abundance of articles on specific areas in mental health.