Sehar tells us that fear, panic and anxiety should be banished. In difficult times, it’s necessary to remain cool and act judiciously. An exclusive for Different Truths.

“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” ~ Glenn Close

Fear, panic, anxiety – three  strong emotions, varied feelings, and a whirlwind growing inside you. With the current threat of COVID-19, people across the globe are getting overwhelmed with information and emotions.

Fear and anxiety over a disease can stir up strong emotions in adults and children.

Stress indicators can include change in sleeping patterns, eating patterns, consumption of harmful substances – drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, difficulty in concentrating, etc.

Stress indicators can include change in sleeping patterns, eating patterns, consumption of harmful substances – drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, difficulty in concentrating, etc.

Here are few things we can do to ensure a good mental health for ourselves in times of threat, scare and uncertainty:

Read articles published online or in newspapers which carry credible sources only. The frenzy of forwards can drive you nuts, quite literally!

l Limit your time on online media. Stop reading the news every hour, twice a day is  more than enough for you to be abreast with the recent updates on the disease. Avoid reading the news just before sleeping, as distressing news often affects sleep.

l Ignore the forwards – Read articles published online or in newspapers which carry credible sources only. The frenzy of forwards can drive you nuts, quite literally!

l Take care of your body – begin your day with some breathing exercises and stretches. End your day with a few minutes of meditation. While at home engage in some healthy eating and planning a balanced diet.
Unwind and relax – Involve yourself in activities that give you happiness – reading, binge watching, music or even doodling, scribbling or writing.

l Keep calm – Whenever going through an unnerving fact, news, discussion you might face difficulties post such events, ask yourself – Is this thought going to help me? It is easy to fall in the trap of stress and overthinking when one is already scared.

l Plan ahead and be safe – Sit with your family, plan for essentials and make a list of emergency contact numbers. Remember if you can stay calm and grounded, you can communicate that to loved ones.”

l Bond and connect – Talk to people, give a patient hearing. Its time for taking those phone calls form customary to engaging. Reassure your family, help them validate their feelings, empathise and cope.

l Talk to kids around you – The worse trauma is to hear about an infectious disease behind closed doors. Sit with your child and discuss the topic – ask them what they know and what they currently feel. Let them know you are there to talk about it and can help them.

l Reassure – Compassions, kindness and being sensitive can go a long way in helping people in your family and inner circle feel better about the whole thing.

l Keep the routine – Even if you are working from home and taking care of kids at home, ensure that you and your family have the same routine, disrupting a routine can cause distress and discomfort.

Coping strategies can be different for each one of us but the above activities can aid us in breaking the worry-anxiety cycle.

Self-care, a positive approach , an alert mind with a healthy hygiene can be your tools to cope the stress and keep your mental well-being in place. Coping strategies can be different for each one of us but the above activities can aid us in breaking the worry-anxiety cycle.

The most important lesson we all should learn from this outbreak is – taking care of ourselves!

Cheers to being sensitive, calm and clean!

Photo from the Internet