Fear, anxiousness, panic and being hopeless are just some of the emotions people feel due to the outbreak of the coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19. Because of the stressful effects brought about by this pandemic worldwide, it is inevitable to feel such negative emotions since each person reacts differently to undesirable situations. Some factors such as the community you live in, the people that surrounds you, your health and financial state are some considerations on how you will respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Some people are more vulnerable than others to the psychosocial effects of the pandemic. These are the people who are at heightened risk such as the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions or weaker immune system, people who live in crowded areas and even the health care providers because of their risk of exposure to the virus. With these, ensuring the stability of your mental health is important to maintain a quality of life that everyone deserves. Here are recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) to help you cope up with the stress and worrying effects due to this pandemic:
- Take breaks from reading, watching or listening to news about COVID-19 that will make you feel anxious or distressed. Minimize yourself on using social media once or twice a day since hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. Seek information that will help you prepare and plan against the virus and trust only from reliable sources to avoid gathering false information that will make you feel more anxious.
- Take care of yourself and be supportive to others. Have a moment to take deep breaths or meditate to help you ease and relax your mind. Eat heathy and balanced meals, exercise, and get plenty of sleep to have a stronger immune system. Find some opportunity to help others who may need some extra assistance. Helping others could bring satisfaction to yourself and will create unity in your community.
- Communicate and reach out with your loved ones. While the community is on quarantine, have some time reaching out with your friends and family. Aside from bringing each other closer, this can help you uplift each other’s concerns and worries.
Mental health is an important factor in achieving the overall wellness of the body. While the threat of the virus is going on around you, it is vital to put attention on your mental health stability. Manage stress by having social media breaks, meditating, supporting others and reaching out with your loved ones. Coping up with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.
NO I Angelica O. Pajulas
