Surviving COVID-19 wasn’t easy for anyone. Everyone could see how the virus would impact a person’s body, but most of us ignored how it was doing a lot more than just that. There was loss of friends and family members to cope with and, on top of that, anxiety and depression that weakened us from the inside. While we have somewhat survived for now, the psychological consequences to follow Coronavirus are also a big challenge for the world.
Although there is yet no data to prove it, experts believe there are two major reasons behind the increase in depression during the lockdown.
- Financial stress
- Social isolation
Humans are social animals and isolation can affect their mental health. They need other people, especially at times of stress, but it’s crucial to maintain social distancing to keep Coronavirus from spreading.
Millions of people lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Even the ones with the job had to manage with reduced salaries.
This is a time when people are losing jobs and their loved ones while living in the constant fear of death. Not getting to make contact with other people to share their feelings further escalates depression and could potentially lead to suicidality.
Although these were difficult times, things have started going back to normal. Cabinet has approved a relief package of $2.8 billion to make the transition easy for its people. Another problem is starting old life again after going through so much trauma. The following are some briefly discussed practices that will help you adjust to life after the coronavirus lockdown.
Understand Your Problem:
If you are having trouble seeing yourself back in the free world again, you should highlight your fears first. Ask yourself whether:
- You are anxious that you have to work again
- You are afraid of getting infected
- You don’t know how you will cover the loss from lockdown
You will be able to resolve the issues only after you have identified and accepted it. There is nothing wrong with being scared, especially after what the world just went through. However, the problem is letting those fears control your life. You won’t be able to do anything and spend the rest of your life trapped inside the house if you don’t face those fears.
Talk to a Therapist
Any problem is only as big as it is in your head. It’s only normal for people to overthink after spending so much time with social distancing.
The whole healthcare was so focused on Corona cases that they didn’t pay much attention to how it was affecting people mentally. Most clinics were closed, and no one was willing to go meet a therapist. There are now platforms that provide online therapy.
Create New Schedules
The routine before, during, and after the lockdown will be different. You adjusted to living and working from home without having to go out for social gatherings, exercise, and other activities. Now you have to go back in the world again and tend to all your needs and wants that you had put on hold for so long.
The best way to make this transition is easy by creating a timetable according to the new lifestyle and activities. If you have a written schedule before you get back to the old routine, you are more likely to get things done. Remember, you can’t make a routine overnight. It is going to take some time and sacrifices.
Learn to Live in Present
If you keep thinking about the lockdown and how it affected you, you won’t be able to progress forward. There is also the possibility that you might be scared of the future. Worrying about the coming future is anxiety, and it takes a toll on both mental and physical health.
According to a study by Harvard, we only spend half our lives in the present. About 47% of the time, when we are awake, our mind is thinking about what is not going on. Instead of worrying about how your tomorrow will be, you should work to make your present better. Thinking about past bad events is no better than worrying about the future. It stresses you out and causes depression.
Stay Away from Bad News
While the Coronavirus pandemic was no minor issue, social media and many other news channels created so much hype that people were more afraid than they should be. There were too many pieces of news about the virus and death toll that put many people in depression.
Many experts believe that we will now spend all our lives with the Coronavirus. If we don’t make mental peace with the situation, we will spend our whole lives in anxiety. It’s crucial that we stop following all social media channels that spread fear and news without any strong source.
Read more mental health articles at ClichéMag.com
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