Pandemic mental health survival is a marathon, not a sprint. Here are 5 tips for coping.
Written by: Jen Kljajic
There’s little about life today that feels “normal.” State and national policies around school reopenings, safety guidance, and lockdown restrictions change seemingly by the hour.
These ups and downs take a toll on our mental health whether we realize it or not. “Prolonged mental distress will be fuelled by the direct threats associated with the spread of disease, requirements of distancing and isolation, economic and social downturns, and unemployment,” wrote the Health and Human Rights Journal. “These are then exacerbated by massive attacks of disinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories.”
Pandemic mental health survival is a marathon, not a sprint. The stop-gap measures we relied on at the outset of this crisis are wearing thin. With opioids and benzos readily available in most American homes, the temptation to self-medicate may be overwhelming. But these coping mechanisms may introduce new and more serious problems later.
We’ve identified five ways our “new normal” could challenge your mental health — as well as sustainable tips to mitigate our continued high levels of stress.
You may feel anxious about little things.
Pandemic anxiety is real and impacts people differently. If you’ve been self-isolating at home, returning to the outside world may make you feel over-stimulated and vulnerable. Those with pre-existing anxiety may feel triggered by threats both real and imagined. The alternative — self-isolating indefinitely — can also start to wear on your mental health.
As you reenter the world after lockdown, take it slowly. Focus on prioritizing activities you enjoy and people you really want to see to keep yourself motivated. Even brief exercise can help prevent stress-induced depression. Vocalize any fears you’re experiencing with your friends, family, and therapist.
For some of us, lockdowns have come with unexpected upsides: more family time, a slower pace of life, or a new hobby. You may worry that a return to “normal” will rob you of this new quality time and self-development. It’s okay to embrace these unlikely positives. This pandemic gives us all the unprecedented opportunity to learn what’s important in life and re-evaluate our priorities.
The rules will change on you constantly.
As of this writing, ten states in the US are reversing their reopening efforts; a further 13 are putting their phased reopening on hold. Federal guidelines around school reopenings, mask protocol, and virus testing change by the day. The reality is that navigating the new normal is largely an exercise in personal interpretation.
The choices we make each day to go to work, meet with other people, and even shop for groceries can start to weigh on our mental health. Elaine Miller-Karas, author of Building Resilience to Trauma: The Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, told Psychology Today that individuals today are under a “perceived ‘inescapable attack’ from an invisible enemy”, This stress can lead to a nervous system response that depletes the body over time, impacting our sense of well-being. This prolonged fight-or-flight response can lead to anxiety and depression.
The cognitive load of developing new habits is fatiguing. Recognize that habit formation takes effort, and it’s okay not to be perfect. Until we have a vaccine, it’s impossible to reduce virus transmission risk to zero. Navigating this new normal is about taking minimal, calculated risks in exchange for a less restricted life.
Each individual may calculate that ROI differently. Be proactive about communicating your personal policy around social interactions to friends, family, and your employer. Ask about your employers’ protections for workers and talk to your supervisor about designing a new work paradigm that suits your comfort level.
Your moods may swing more wildly than ever.
Change can unleash more emotions, good and bad. You may feel numbed by the lockdown and have difficulty re-awakening to emotions. Or, you may find your mood swinging from one emotion to the next. Ongoing turbulence in the news cycle only intensifies these swings.
Our advice: let it out! Talk to others, keep a private journal, meet with your therapist. If you’re feeling numb, don’t rush or bully yourself into feeling anything. Emotions will return in due time. Talking to a counselor can help you address any numbness effectively at your own pace.
Months of poor sleep may really add up.
Sleep patterns have changed for many people during the pandemic — but not always how you would expect. Yes, there are many people experiencing sleepless nights. But others are getting more sleep than usual, according to one report.
Try to maintain a consistent sleep habit to stabilize your routine amidst the ups and downs of our new normal. Here are some good sleep practices you should enforce:
- Set your alarm to make your wakeup time more consistent.
- Expose yourself to daylight within 20 minutes of waking up.
- Limit daytime naps.
- Use your bedroom only for sleep or sex, not hanging out or working.
- Reduce late-day consumption of caffeine and alcohol.
- Limit news intake and reduce screentime generally, especially before bed.
If you’re taking pills to support your sleep, watch out! You can become dependent surprisingly fast and quitting these meds is difficult. Every year, 10 million people are prescribed benzodiazepines — a 67% jump in prescriptions in recent years. It’s easy to get a prescription and quickly become dependent on benzos.
Usually, insomnia worsens unless you’re tapering medications effectively. Get help from licensed counselors who can help you taper meds effectively while shifting habits to support better rest.
You may need more self-care than ever.
Self-care is about more than just taking a nice long bath at the end of the day (which we highly recommend!). Taking care of your health through eating well, resting, and exercising regularly gives you the stamina to survive.
Psychology Today says the acronym H-A-L-T is a good one to remember: “When worry and stress take hold, stop and ask yourself if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. This alert signal can bring you back into balance. If one or a combination of the four states is present, slow down, take a few breaths, and chill. If you’re hungry, take the time to eat. If you’re angry, address it in a healthy manner. If you’re lonely, reach out to someone you trust. And if you’re tired, rest.”
It’s also easier than ever to get mental health support when you need it. Teletherapy makes individual or group therapy available without leaving your home. Digital-native solutions like Skyler Health encompass live sessions but also smartphone-enabled support like frequent self-monitoring of symptoms, live interventions, etc.
Even if you’re only minimally impacted by the pandemic, self-care can help you mitigate the lingering effects of trauma. Don’t skip this step, as our new normal will require lots of stamina and strength in the coming months. You can do this!
Visit us at Skyler Health, where we empower people to prevent and stop anxiety, pain, medication & substance dependence with professional, licensed, and vetted counselors that you can trust.
