Managing Your Mental Health During the Coronavirus

The coronavirus isn’t just making people physically sick, it’s taking a toll on people’s mental health as well.

People are stressed, scared, anxious, and lonely, but mental health care is often falling to the wayside.

Mental Health Tips for Isolation and Social Distancing

Especially with people mostly staying indoors and practicing social distancing, it is natural to feel down and out, but you can make it through. Our South Florida mental health facility is sharing some tips on managing mental health during the coronavirus.

Stay Connected

You may not be able to go out and meet up with friends or loved ones, but you can still stay connected with modern technology. Your mental health from social isolation may be waning, but because everyone is having to take a step back from their busy lives, now is a good time to reach out to those that you may have neglected. Have a virtual dinner date, play videogames together with a friend across the country, or call up your parents to check on them. You will find that reconnecting and checking in with others can drastically improve your mood.

Unplug

While staying connected virtually with your friends and family is a good idea, spending hours on end scrolling through social media or watching the news may not be in the best interest of your mental health. There is evidence to suggest that social media and depression are linked. The never-ending coronavirus news may also be panic-inducing. If you already struggle with anxiety and depression, now is a good time to unplug.

Spend Time Alone

Even if you are with the people you love the most, dealing with your mental health during self-quarantine can be challenging. Being in close confinement with people for an extended amount of time can get on your nerves no matter how close you are with them. Because you are constantly around them, this proximity can weigh on your mental health. Instead of letting negative feelings fester, separate yourself. You can politely tell your loved ones you need time for yourself and step away. Take a bath, read, go for a walk, or watch something alone in your room. An activity by yourself can help you press the reset button on your mental health.

Stay Busy

It is easy to spend hours in front of the television, but this can negatively impact your mental health. Your mind can easily wander to dangerous places or the little stimulation can be depressing. Especially if you are already struggling to cope with coronavirus anxiety, you may want to stay busy and distract yourself. Try to stay active as well and change up your activities. A little daily exercise has several mental health benefits and can keep you busy.

Get Outside

Managing your mental health during the coronavirus can be especially challenging if you are practicing self-quarantine. While you should avoid contact with people, social distancing doesn’t have to mean you are stuck inside. So long as you keep your distance and avoid touching anything, you can go outside. Spending even just 15 minutes outside as you go for walk or sit on the grass can work wonders for your mental health.

Relax

While you may feel pressured to finally get your full to-do list done or to accomplish all of your goals for the year, now is also a good time to relax. Thinking that you will be productive with all of your time is setting yourself up for failure. Especially if you have a history of mental illness, these unrealistic expectations can make you feel worse. Instead, try to spend some time each day relaxing. Meditate, do yoga, practice mindfulness, or close your eyes and listen to classical music. All of these practices can help ease anxiety and improve your mental health.

Get Help

If you find yourself struggling to complete everyday tasks or being plagued by your mental health, it is okay to ask for help. Our Boca residential mental health program provides a sheltered and controlled environment for you to tackle your inner demons. Instead of spending your self-quarantine drowning in negative thoughts, spend it with us and work through these problems.  

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At Banyan Mental Health, we understand just how debilitating mental illness can be. If you or someone you love is struggling, get help. Call us today at 888-280-4763 to learn more.