There are many ways people can try to control worries, anxieties, and changes related to pandemics to avoid or minimize depression.
In this article, I explore depression, how the COVID-19 pandemic can affect it, how depression can be managed using home remedies, and lifestyle tips.
What is depression?
Depression is a normal yet severe mood disorder with negative thoughts like sorrow, remorse, isolation, and frustration. This disorder is also physical, affecting our daily life and has symptoms that may last for at least 2 weeks.
Depression can affect any person of any age, gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. According to some studies, about 7% of the U.S. adult population in the past 12 months have had at least one depressive episode.
Symptoms of depression
Some of the most common depression symptoms may include:
- Anxiety, anger, dissatisfaction, shame, worthlessness, helplessness
- Modifications of sleep patterns and appetite
- Missing motivation or regular pleasure
- an individual is generally passionate about having no interest in stuff
- loss of attention and concentration
- Problems with memory
- Difficult decision-making
- Suicidal thoughts
How the pandemic may affect depression
When you live under pandemic lockdown, the prevalence of depression or symptoms will increase.
Almost 35% of those who were interviewed reported to have psychological problems because of the pandemic, according to a Chinese survey.
The COVID-19 pandemic and stress can affect some people more than others.
The most prone groups are:
- Older grownups
- Chronically or seriously disabled people
- Kids and teenagers
- Health and critical and first aid frontline personnel
- people with disorders of mental wellbeing, including problems with drugs
Best tips to manage depression
The following are some of the best tips on managing depression at home during lockdown and post-lock-down:
- Stay updated and not obsessed
Keeping aware of credible news outlets can help in controlling feelings and minimize needless anxiety.
When flooded with information about COVID-19, particularly from unreliable sources, can lead to excessive anxieties and distress.
It may be useful to try to restrict news or the consumption of media to bits, for instance, once or twice a day.
- Offer support to other people
Helping others, and particularly people in need of additional assistance, such as frontline workers or engaging in community activities, may help foster protection, self-worth, power, and attachment feelings.
The optimistic and encouraging stories of COVID-19 could also be useful to extend.
- Follow a healthy routine every day
During and after a lockdown it’s wise to have a daily routines, or a sense of the time and order that can be maintained. The change back to a normal schedule can also be simpler with a schedule.
During this time, someone may want to physically active, eat a balanced diet, and avoid smoking.
Under no routine, people often appear to take on a lethargic lifestyle more likely. Lethargy can enhance negative thought habits and minimize self-care such as healthy eating patterns and personal hygiene.
- Ask for assistance
If negative thoughts, ideas, or physical symptoms interfere with the daily working or fail to respond to lifestyle changes, it is important to reach out for support.
An individual may begin by discussing their problems and feelings with their doctor. Medicines may be administered for support by physicians.
Also during the lockdown, some licensed psychologists provide healthy telephone or virtual therapy at affordable rates.
- Keep in touch with friends
Lockdown constraints may make it hard to get in touch physically, but finding ways to communicate, for instance video calling, with family, friends, and colleagues is vital.
While people suffering from depression may want to minimize social interactions, research shows that isolation or separation usually exacerbates depression.
It is a good idea to speak frankly and affirm pandemics or lock-down worries and feelings during interactions with friends and family.
With clear and open social relations, feelings of security and autonomy may also increase.
Bonus tip
- Spend time outdoors
Sparing time to spend outdoors can minimize anxiety and tension, enhance well-being and feelings of satisfaction, and helps in improving the moods.
Supplementing with vitamin D, which is an abundant nutrient in sunlight, one can have decreased depressive symptoms.
Most places do not have tight laws to prohibit people staying outside near their homes if social distance is practiced. However, they must still ensure that such health recommendations and guidance are followed.
Bottomline
Living under a lockdown may trigger fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and the likelihood of someone developing depression will increase if left unchecked.
One may try using home-counter strategies, which concentrate on routine, good control, and lifestyle adaptation or job adjustments so that negative thoughts and feelings are minimized.
If symptoms are debilitating or crippling, you can get treatment and prevent severe problems from your doctor.