During the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a lot of information about the

virus and its effects on mental health. Thatʼs because coronavirus and the social, financial and psychological implications it carries can seriously impact oneʼs mental wellbeing.

Government legislation, mass media coverage, and the increasing global death

toll will cause a lot of stress, especially for the older population, children, and

people with a history of mental health problems.

Itʼs of the utmost importance that we try to remain as composed as we can

during this time.

The fear and anxiety that is gripping the nation are as contagious, if not more

so than the illness itself. While we are in no way diminishing the severity of the physical and epidemiological worry surrounding coronavirus, it is crucial that everyone has access to mental health resources, and is clued up on how they can look after themselves and their own mental health.

People with pre-existing mental problems should continue to manage and track

their mental health. Self-care is vital, and itʼs also important to try and reduce

the stress for ourselves and others around us.

How Your Mental Health Might be Affected

The coronavirus might affect not only your physical wellbeing but also your

mental health. As we might be instructed to stay home due to the pandemic,

the mental health symptoms might worsen.

You might notice several mental health issues, such as:

  • Increased anxiety
  • Stress
  • Excessively checking for symptoms
  • Feelings of irritation
  • Insecurity
  • The normal aches will feel like you have the virus
  • Sleeping troubles
  • Feelings of helplessness

Check if you show these symptoms and try to control yourself as much as you

can.

Everyone Should Take Precautionary Measures

Itʼs crucial that you take precautions that can prevent you from getting the

virus, and spreading it if you already show signs of it.

Here are the precautions that everyone should take at this moment in time:

  • Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds. Also, use hand sanitizer
  • Stay home if you are sick
  • Avoid touching your face, especially the mouth and nose areas
  • Disinfect doorknobs, switches, or any parts of your house that might carry
  • viruses
  • Design a plan with your family. Try to isolate yourselves from the
  • neighbours as much as possible, and prepare for isolation of the potential ill
  • members
  • Masks are ineffective at the moment unless they are N95 or N99 masks
  • Protect the elderly

Plan for Staying at Home

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people might be instructed to stay at home.

People might also work from home, or you can enter self-isolation to prevent

yourself from getting the virus. Hereʼs what to know.

1. Find Somewhere Safe to Stay

Not everyone will be happy to stay at home, but itʼs for the best of everyone at

this point. However, for some, this will not be good as their home conditions

might not be the best.

You can try asking a friend or a family member to provide you with a more

pleasant place to stay. Itʼs best to check with your government and read the

government advice about staying at home.

Also, itʼs advisable to get some help with your housing problems.

2. Eat Properly and Drink Enough

At this moment in time, itʼs crucial that you eat well and drink enough water.

You should strive to bring all the necessary nutrients from your diet, and avoid

restaurants if they are open. Consider getting food deliveries to your home or ask someone to drop off the food at your home. Drinking enough water is also just as important. Itʼs not only good for your

physical health, but also for your mental health.

3. Keep Taking Your Medication

Itʼs important that you keep taking your medication, even at this time of the

coronavirus. You should try to order your medications to your home, and only

order from reputable sites. You can also ask someone else to collect the

medication for you.

4. Continue with Your Treatment and Support

Try to continue with the treatment that you might have been receiving prior to

the coronavirus outbreak. With the technology available, itʼs possible to

continue sessions with your therapists; they can be done by phone, online, or

by text.

Consult your therapist about the treatment, and ask them to support you if you

struggle without the one-on-one sessions.

5. Guidelines are Still Bound to Change

As the scientists are still uncovering the mysteries around the COVID-19

disease, some changes to the guidelines are bound to happen.

The pandemic might take a turn in a different direction, and you should follow

the guidelines provided by the medical institutions in your area.

6. Anxiety Symptoms Mimicking Coronavirus

If you suffer from anxiety and panic attacks often, you might start to think itʼs

the new coronavirus. Check the symptoms before you start assuming itʼs a

coronavirus, and try to calm yourself down.

Once you realize that the symptoms of COVID-19 are very much different from

those of an anxiety attack, youʼll feel more at ease. The early signs of COVID-19 are coughing, sore throat, headaches, and fever. For anxiety attacks, itʼs usual to have a racing heartbeat, sweating, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath (which is sometimes also a symptom of coronavirus).

7. Support for People with OCD and Anxiety

If you or any of your family members suffer from symptoms of anxiety or OCD

during coronavirus, contact your personal doctor or a psychiatrist.

They will ask you to assess the situation and evaluate what symptoms you

have. As itʼs not possible to attend one-on-one sessions at the moment, they

might arrange a video call with you or contact you in some other ways.

8. Mental Health Support Resources

As self-isolation sets in, more people are turning to online and digital resources

to help them get through this uncertain period.

Donʼt forget that there are plenty of apps for you to download to help keep you

in touch with loved ones, and there is a multitude of online self-help resources,

guided meditations, home workouts, podcasts, and online articles.

For more information about support during the coronavirus for mental health

problems, visit this website.

9. Taking Care of Your Mental Wellbeing

Try to take as much action as possible to ensure your mental health wonʼt

suffer during this time.

Here are some tips on how to take care of your mental wellbeing.

1. Connect with People without Meeting Them

As you may already be aware, itʼs recommended to stay at home and avoid

physical contact with other people as much as possible.

Larger groups shouldnʼt meet at all. Luckily, with modern technology, we can

easily connect with others online.

2. Set up a Routine

For people who stay at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, it might feel

slightly chaotic to stay at home for such a long period.

Therefore itʼs important that we set up a routine and stick to it to prevent us

from becoming lazy and depressed.

It would be a great idea to devise a plan and write it down, and then try to stick

to it on a daily basis.

3. Physical Activity is Key

Try to stay as active as you can. You can exercise at home, even without

equipment. Try to follow online videos, thereʼs a lot of resources for that.

Additionally, now you will have time to clean your home and do your chores,

which is a good form of activity. Go for walks in nature, and try to sit less.

4. Go Out into Nature and Get Some Air

Get as much sunlight as you can, especially if you live in an area where thereʼs

an opportunity to go out into nature. Go for walks, grab some fresh air, and

expose yourself to sunlight. Getting enough vitamins not just during the COVID-19 outbreak, but at all times, is crucial for a stronger immune system and mental wellbeing.

5. Work or Study from Home

You might be instructed to do that, but prepare yourself properly. Make a

working environment where youʼll be able to focus on your work. It might be

hard to do that, especially if you have children to care for.

Try to keep them as busy as possible – make sure they do their homework and

avoid other children. For employees working from home, read everything about

your rights and ask the employer about the policies.

6. Keep Yourself Busy

Now that we will have more time to spend, make sure you keep yourself busy.

Do activities, clean your home, have a clear out, sort your computer files,

photos, or anything that needs sorting.

7. Keep Your Brain Challenged

Read books, magazines, articles, online material, solve puzzles or crosswords,

watch shows or films, listen to podcasts. Anything that will keep your mind busy

and your thoughts free of the coronavirus.

8. If You Start Feeling Claustrophobic

Open your windows, get out of the house and grab some fresh air. You can do

the chores on your garden, or even look out your window more often to get a

sense of space. Change rooms youʼre in often.

9. Limit Your Media Diet

Being informed about the coronavirus spread is helpful, although excessive

worrying about it doesnʼt help your mental health. Especially if you watch the news or listen to the radio, where almost the only thing thatʼs talked about is the COVID-19 spread. Keep a balance between being informed and excessively following the news.

Too much information every day can become stressful. Check the news once or

twice a day, which is more than enough to get the latest news. Plus, limit your time you spend on social media platforms such as Facebook or

Twitter, where everyone shares their thoughts and feelings on the novel

coronavirus.

We are all in this together. If you are feeling concerned about your ability to manage your mental space reach out to someone. Anyone, we are also a listening ear if you are stuck. [email protected] or call +65 3159 4151