A human being is obviously a social being who cannot tolerate isolation for a long time, which is why there has recently been a lot of discussions about mental health in regard to the coronavirus, especially with the media hustle accompanying to cover the news of the virus, causing anxiety and tension that add up to the state of the imposed quarantine. What is the best way to relieve stress and anxiety at times of lockdown like these?
In such difficult times, where the wave of economic recession rises and threatens businesses, people seek to find solutions and advice on crisis management, especially when it comes to the psychological point of view. In turn, we have extracted some tips that focus on that aspect:
Reformulate concepts within your mind
Rather than always complaining about being trapped at home, it would be better if you redraft the concepts and perceptions of your mind. Rather than subconsciously reinforcing the “I walk inside my house” phrase, you can replace it with the following thought: “Now I can finally focus on myself and my own home”. In doing so, it directed the focus from the outside to the inside in a constructive way, as if you are either reviewing the tasks that you avoided for long periods of time or creating something that you always wanted!
Try to stimulate your normal daily routine
It is important to try to simulate the daily routine as much as possible before the quarantine, as this opportunity is available for parents who have children and family to take full care of and thus make it easier for them to simulate the daily routine at times like this. However, working from home throughout the day makes it difficult to follow a daily routine, leading the person to think negatively and affecting mental health, especially during the coronavirus lockdown. That’s why psychologists recommend that you abide by specific times for sleeping at night and waking up in the morning while taking some time to perform some exercises as well as making space at certain days for washing, ironing, cleaning and performing other household tasks during the weekend, for example, thus making the situation more habitual to you.
Create rituals that are just for quarantine
In times like this coronavirus quarantine situation, you can devise certain rituals to persevere your mental health, as this would contribute to achieving peace of mind. Have you thought of dedicating a run or walk every day at exactly 4 pm? Or have you thought to dedicate evening times on a book and complete the reading of 30 pages after work as an example? Perhaps the best advice in this regard is to take advantage of long periods of staying home in learning to practice meditation and yoga, as there are no better exercises than yoga for relaxing. And if you are a fan of art and music, this is an ideal opportunity to rediscover your talents and crown them in a drawing or a piece of music you’ve dreamed of playing before.
Avoid spending long periods of time on social media
Some media seem to be obsessed with the coronavirus in terms of reporting news about infected cases and death numbers, all of which will negatively affect the mental health of the coronavirus observer. Instead of spending time browsing news bulletins and social media pages that abound with novelties of the coronavirus, you can learn a new skill online and complete a course on one of the trusted sites of the Internet.
Organize your home
There is no doubt that crises require long times at home and may last for months of quarantine, and it is known that a chaotic house with unorganized things increases stress and anxiety. That is why it is always advisable to make sure of cleaning up the house every once in a while.
Consult an online psychologist
It has become possible to consult certified psychologists online, and if you feel that the symptoms of psychological stress began to sink right through you while exceeding the limits, you can request online assistance by consulting an approved psychologist. There are sites that operate as a mediator (link) between doctors and researchers for treatment and diagnosis and have also integrated psychological counseling within their services.
This was a bundle of advice that helps in maintaining mental health especially in the coronavirus quarantine situation. The times the world is currently experiencing are exceptional by any standards and require a degree of awareness and unity to overcome the disease. Mental health is a key factor in maintaining your productivity at work and sustaining balanced relationships with the family and the surrounding.
You can follow up on other topics that keep pace with the developments of the coronavirus such as our interview with a person that went through the process of being diagnosed in Saudi Arabia and another interview with a medical specialist to explain the symptoms of the disease and what the most important decisions taken by Saudi Arabia to confront the coronavirus were. Follow us on the Bayut KSA blog to bring to you all the updates regarding the real estate market and its news along with the most prominent events taking place in the Kingdom.
