Mental Health Epidemic: Pulling Each Other Through
What we’re dealing with, together, is something all of us weren’t prepared for. Uncertainty prevails. The pandemic caught us off guard and we need to acknowledge it. Caring for your mental wellbeing is important, I get it and advocate it. But, taking into account the sensitivity of the situation, as a Psychologist, it becomes very tricky to talk about prioritizing it. While writing this article, I confess that I wish we didn’t have to bear this as humanity. In fact, I know all of us wish for this. And it’s sad, extremely, gut-wrenchingly sad.
That said, we have to somehow manage to pull ourselves together and try to get through this. And, for that we need to direct a lot of attention towards what we’re feeling and thinking, aka our mental health.
Most people in my family are doctors and health care professionals. For the past two weeks, I’m constantly hearing the cries for help, lack of resources and unfortunately also about deaths. I’ve been a COVID-19 survivor and now am serving as a caregiver. And both of these sides are tough places to be in. To be honest, it can be very consuming mentally, physically and emotionally. Counting on what I’ve learnt, my experience and perspective, here are some takeaways that might prove beneficial to those caring for COVID-19 patients and those with COVID-19.
Please note, mental health can look very different during a crisis. These suggestions may or may not be useful, depending upon where the person with COVID-19 is in their recovery journey.
First and foremost, it is important for a caregiver to understand that it is okay to take a break. Rest boosts your immune system and helps it function at full strength. It’s very natural to feel exhausted and you don’t have to be too hard on yourself or try to be 'too' positive.
For a caregiver and for a survivor, distinguishing between what is in their control and what is not, is imperative. The 'what if' mindset can draw us down the negative spiral of thoughts and can blur our decision-making process. And unfortunately, we need quick and informed decision-making during these times. For example, limiting our consumption of news is in our control, and maybe you can alternate it with anything feel-good or comfortable. The right social support can do wonders. Even if it is virtual. Don’t be afraid of 'phoning a friend'. With what we’re going through, negative self-talk may come easy, and feeling like you belong can help with it. Mental health applications can also be very helpful. Of course, they’re not an alternative to professional help or therapy but apps such as Headspace, Wysa, Woebot, What’s Up and Calm can make dealing with stress a little easier.
Don’t keep making the individual you’re caring for realise that they’re down with a deadly illness. Learn to be compassionately empathetic because the ripple effect of emotions such as fear and anger can be long-lasting. But at the same time, this ripple effect also applies to joyful emotions and research proves that. So, distract yourself, use humor to release tension and realize that constant labeling has its repercussions.
For those with COVID-19, specifically, it is essential to be mindful about your body and what it’s experiencing. Acceptance, rather than aggravation is the key here. Recognize what you’re feeling and put a pin on it. It’s a pandemic and yes we’re all feeling a lot.
At the end of the day, a hard pill to swallow for all of us is that this is probably not ending very soon. We’re facing trauma and collective grief. And, that means we’re not alone, even in our sorrows. Let’s be as compassionately and mindfully empathetic as we can be. Be kind. Don’t undermine your contribution; you can make a difference in someone’s life. Let’s take care of ourselves and each other. We got this.
“We can’t always change what’s happening around us, but we can change what happens within us.” - Andy Puddicombe, Headspace, Co-Founder
