Humans are social beings, so it can be challenging to stay indoors for extended periods of time. 2020 forced us all indoors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The curve of this virus has not completely flattened yet, at least not yet to the extent where one can confirm it is completely gone. As such, countries and nations across the globe are still practicing partial lockdowns and enforcing social distancing guidelines. Meeting friends and relatives have been on hold for a long time. With no promise of when life will return to the normal that everyone once knew, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak is resulting in massive mental health and psychological issues.
Ram Duriseti suggests some easy steps to promote healing
Stress and anxiety change the way our body responds and behaves. Due to COVID-19, many people are in a state of constant anxiety, which can lead to more severe psychological issues. Ram Duriseti suggests below some prominent issues, as well as possible methods to manage symptoms, in order to live well.
- Panic attacks
Simply put, a panic attack is the sudden onset of fear and paranoia. With a panic attack, symptoms can often manifest physically in crying, fainting, etc. A panic attack’s symptoms include increased heart rate, palpitations, sweating, trembling, and shaking. Many things can trigger a sudden attack. Panic attacks might be increasing because of the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic.
Deep breathing and meditation are good practices to help soothe oncoming panic attacks. Breathing helps to ease worry and anxiety. It can help a person bring their focus back to the present moment. It is an exercise in grounding. Daily meditation can also help a person reduce stress and experience inner calm.
- Lack of motivation
Since most people are cut off from their usual social scenes, many people are not feeling motivated. They might feel a lack of interest in working or in doing daily chores. Many who experience a lack of motivation wonder if they are showing signs of mild depression. The truth is that clinical depression has more severe symptoms than this. What most people are experiencing when it comes to a lack of motivation is a simple case of mental fatigue.
You can remedy this by setting up small tasks for yourself that are easy to achieve. Achieving these small, simple tasks, can help you feel accomplished while motivating you to do more. Some simple tasks include cooking healthy meals for yourself, reading a few pages of a book every day, connecting with your loved ones on weekends, exercising daily, and more. These tasks will help you to work towards a goal while staying energized.
- Negative thinking
Since there are no signs of this pandemic ending soon, many people are developing negative thoughts. The best way to stay hopeful and amplify positive thinking is to write in a journal daily before sleep. When you count the things that you are grateful for, you can produce mental shifts within yourself that bring you towards mental wellness.
Staying well and healthy during the pandemic might be a challenge, but you can use these tips mentioned above to maximize your physical and mental health.