Over the past month, the world has become a completely different place and everyone’s lives have been flipped upside down due to the coronavirus pandemic. During these uncertain times, it’s important to remember to be gentle with yourself and to prioritize your mental health, especially if you’re someone who already struggles with mental health issues. Here’s a few gentle reminders for you, in case no one told you today:
1. You’re doing great!
It’s easy to feel like you should be doing so much more than you currently are since we’ve been given so much free time. But I’m here to tell you that it’s okay if all you did today was get out of bed. There’s no blueprint on how to handle weeks of social isolation during a global pandemic, so do whatever is best for you. It’s enough.
If your mental health has been negatively affected by social isolation and you can’t find motivation, the last thing you probably want to do is attend a Zoom meeting. Sometimes lying in bed scrolling through TikTok is simply more appealing than being reminded that you’re now working/learning remotely. It’s okay, don’t beat yourself up. You’ll catch the next one.
3. Crying is perfectly fine – encouraged even.
Living through this time can feel extremely overwhelming and deeply saddening. I mean, we’re stuck inside all day, taken away from our friends and family, celebrations and events we were looking forward to have been canceled, and the list goes on… It’s okay to cry. Feel all of your feelings and let them out – it’s healthier than bottling them up.
4. You don’t have to watch the news if you don’t want to.
There’s been a lot of negativity in the media lately and sometimes it’s just too much to handle. If you’re noticing that watching the news is affecting your mental health, it’s alright to step away for a bit and focus on yourself. Although it’s good to know what’s going on in the world, your mental health is far more important. The world can wait.
5. You’re not alone.
The coronavirus pandemic and social isolation has affected every single person in some way or another. Every person you know is going through their own individual struggles due to these circumstances and it could help to talk about it with those closest to you. Remember that you’re not going through this alone and that everyone could use some support and reassurance during this time.
