Millions of people form the working class. And undeniably, much of what they do involves mentally straining activities. So thinking about mental health is an issue that concerns us all.
‘The coronavirus 2019 pandemic maybe stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about new disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing can make people feel isolated and lonely and increase stress and anxiety. However, these actions are necessary to reduce the spread of covid-19. Coping with stress in a health way will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.‘ – Center for Disease Control and Prevention
People don’t want to think of mental ill-health, because of the misunderstanding of the term. They think of those who are put under residential facilities.
But mental illness goes way beyond that. It can be a little as having mild depression. It can then graduate into struggling to sleep. Insomnia as experts call it. In one way or the other, mental health issues concern all of us.
Now, add to our already busy lives the intrusion of covid-19. It came not only with the capacity to kill thousands, but also it disrupted all lives.
Talk about social distancing or lockdowns as it were. No one had anticipated this. No one had planned for it.
Everybody had to rethink their lives and make abrupt restructuring. That meant a hit on the mental health. Unprecedented pressure on our mental resource became a new normal.
But, life has to go on. Production has to be keep going. You know? Otherwise life would become a fearful prospect. No one had planned for this, as a result many experienced continued anxieties.
They just try to push through their life circumstances. This is itself, an unhealthy coping mechanism. So it is important that the following key ways are explored and what works for each individual adopted.
Kimberly Holland in What covid-19 is doing to our mental health suggests the following:
- Find a therapist. “I highily recommend finding therapists who are providing treatment online,” Legg says.
- Be patient with yourself. No one has experienced this. No one should expect to get it “right.” As Legg reminds, this is like nothing else we’ve ever experienced. “These are trying times,” he says. “Allowing yourself experience natural emotions without judging those emotions can be powerful.”
- Remember to breath. Let a wash of calm overwhelm you and help you find a bit of solitude when you’re feeling untethered.
- Move around if you can. “Find some time to exercise,” Legg says. “Clearly you can’t go to the gym, but even if it is doing ‘laps’ around your house or pulling out a few can of soup to make ‘impoversihed’ weights, exercise can be quite beneficial for stress and overall mood.”
- Make social contact. You can’t make physical contact, but you make contact with others nonetheless. Try FaceTime or Zoom with your family, Ramani suggests.