Right now, the world is chaos. People are worried, scared and anxious. People have begun isolating themselves, panic buying at the supermarkets and nothing is the same.
All of this chaos creates a ripple effect. One person stocked up on toilet paper and now, three weeks later, I still haven’t seen any on the shelves and people line up for an hour before supermarkets even open in hopes of getting some... There are also limits on milk, frozen vegetables, tissues, baby wipes and nappies.
I can see and understand the huge range of emotions people are experiencing, I’ve had some of my own concerns and frustrations too. Just today, I was booked to go for an appointment at the hospital for my son and it was cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns in the ward. I’ve been waiting for 6 months for this appointment, now I’m back on the waiting list.
It’s frustrating but we can’t control it, what we can control though, is our own emotions and how we handle ourselves moving forward. So, let’s focus on keeping our mental health as healthy as possible while we get through all of this.
I will do a rundown on how Coronavirus may be triggering some issues for you, tips for staying calm, how you can manage your anxiety, tips for isolation and creating boundaries.
Why the Coronavirus is triggering mental health issues:
♡ Triggers feelings of hopelessness ♡ Decreased job security ♡ Promotes social withdrawal ♡ Loneliness ♡ Decreased financial security ♡ Fear for loved ones ♡ Increased health anxiety ♡ Despair ♡ Mindset switch from living to survival
Tips for staying calm during the time of Coronavirus:
♡ Take care of your body, mind and soul ♡ Find a way to stay active and keep moving ♡ Pay attention to information overload ♡ Prepare wisely ♡ Create comforting rituals ♡ Reach out to others with love ♡ Tidy up ♡ Look for ways to help others ♡ Spend your spare time with podcasts, books, movies and good food
How you can manage your anxiety with Coronavirus:
♡ Avoid excessive exposure to media coverage (TV, print, social media – literally anything which shows the news) ♡ Connect through calls and texts with your friends and family ♡ Allow extra time for daily stress relief ♡ Practise self-care ♡ Focus on your mental health (like you’re doing by reading this blog!)
Creating boundaries surrounding Coronavirus:
It’s important to create clear boundaries for yourself and your family while the chances to get COVID-19 are so high. Here are some great examples you can use:
♡ Please don’t come to visit if you are feeling unwell ♡ I won’t be on social media while this is all going on, so please contact me by text ♡ I have chosen to stay home and limit my interactions with other people right now ♡ Everything happening is causing a lot of anxiety for me so I would appreciate you not mentioning Coronavirus to me ♡ I was really looking forward to our catch up but I would prefer to stay home ♡ I respect your opinion on this situation, but I am allowing myself to have my own opinions too ♡ I don’t want to talk about Coronavirus right now
Tips for if you’re in isolation:
♡ Keep in contact with friends and family ♡ Create a daily self-care routine ♡ Keep yourself busy – read books, exercise, play games, watch movies and journal ♡ Focus on new relaxation techniques ♡ If working from home, arrange your space so it’s calming
I know that at this time in your life, there’s a lot going through your mind but a lot of you have probably forgotten your mind itself. Remember that it’s not a time to freak out and sit at home doing nothing. It’s the perfect time to meditate, focus, set goals, practise gratitude and care for yourself.
While you're checking on yourself and your own mind, please also remember to check on your friends and family, as they may be struggling with a lot of their own thoughts too.
With love
Shorina xo
Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach
Hi, I'm Shorina and I'm an Australian Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach. I'm here to support you to redefine your relationship to self and life! I incorporate a mind, body and soul wellness approach to my work with a focus on healing and mindfulness ♡
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