Staying at Home: Mental Health Tips

COVID-19 has dominated global headlines for the past few days, with the virus having an unprecedented effect on countries around the world. Citizens in many counties now have to stay at home to minimise the spread. With so much of the world experiencing anxiety and no idea as to how long this situation will last for, it is never been so important to prioritise our mental health.

For those already on lockdown, this tip may have come a little too late, but if you can prepare, begin with a list. It is about being sensible and making sure you have everything you require including some distractions. Whether it is a new book, game or anything else, keeping your mind busy can help. Also, try to prepare yourself mentally and think about the challenges that you may come across during isolation.

Make time to have fun! If you are with your family, play games, do crafts and reconnect with each other. If you are alone, play games on your console with friends, on your mobile online. Whether it is adult online gaming at Mr Green casino, Scrabble or digging out the old Gameboys for some classic Pokémon fun!

At times like this, it is completely natural to want to access the news constantly but checking the live stream and keeping up with every update may not be the healthiest option. Furthermore, the information on social media is not always correct and it seems counter-intuitive to worry over things that may not be true.

One of the biggest challenges in staying at home is trying maintaining a schedule, but this can have a significant effect on our mental health. Maintaining your routine will help you to keep ion track, which is especially important if you will be working from home.

Write poetry, paint pictures or make music! Keeping a written journal can be a great way of verbalising your emotions or maybe you could start that novel you have been thinking about. If you are more artistic than lyrical, express your creativity and make art or paint a picture.

By this point, we are all aware of the importance of social distancing, but maintaining social interaction is still essential. Keep up with your loved ones and call them for a chat to catch up. For those who live alone, keeping up social interaction is likely to be more difficult. Luckily, we live in a time where virtual technology has made this possible. However, we also need to consider our social responsibility for others, especially our loved ones who are high risk and potentially completely isolated. Try setting them up with virtual technology such as Skype and ensure they know how to use it.

Take time to breathe and live in the moment. Practising mindfulness can have a significantly positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing by helping to reduce feelings of anxiety. Check out guided meditations on YouTube or download an app like Kalm or Headspace. You could also have a look at grounding techniques. For example, take a moment to take in your surroundings and find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

Remember, this will pass. In the meantime, wash your hands, practice self-care, and stay safe.