Beat the Lockdown Blues Back
Dr. Alfreeda Lavina Pinto
BHMS, MS (Psychotherapy and counselling)
Homoeopathic Consultant, Wellcare Homoeopathy, Kuntikan, Mangalore
Phone +91 94493 00306
Beat the Lockdown Blues
‘Times flies’ is an old saying.But during this lockdown period, time is crawling like a tortoise, isn’t it? As the corona virus pandemic is spreading, self-isolation or quarantine is one of the key strategies that has been opted to flatten the curve of the infection rates. This isolation period of 21 days demands all responsible citizens to remain within the four walls of their home, avoiding physical contact with anyone outside, as COVID 19 is a communicable disease.
The temporary closure of schools and day care centres, the shutting down and movement of work places to a corner in the house has led many families in and around the world to face the prospect of ‘long days.’ Not being able to leave your home can be taxing on the mind. Even with the best of company at home, 21 days of lockdown is a lot of time. After all the cooking, cleaning, conversations with family members, there is still a lot of time left in a day.
For those who have been working round the clock, times like these can really hit with bouts of mood swings. Staying at home, social distancing, and self isolating is crucial in order to curb the spread of the disease, yet it can affect individuals psychologically. For those into business or depending on daily wages and for those working in malls, restaurants etc these times are really stressful.
With routine disrupted and families thrown into close quarters, an emotional problem known in the West as ‘cabin fever’ is the real danger. It is exacerbated by predisposition and thought processes.It can manifest as anxiety, extreme frustration, depression and low mood. In addition, it can be hard to escape the constant barrage of bad news in the media too which can add to the feeling of stress and despair. Not to exclude the anxiety of scarcity of essential resources for daily living. Moreover, many are heard to be depressed due to non-availabilityof alcohol and being deprived of their luxury and entertainment.
How to deal with this situation appropriately:
- Maintain a balance routine: It’s easy to slip into the habit of sleeping late, spending all day on TV or mobiles, eating junk food etc during this period. But looking after yourself is essential. Even simple tasks such as washing your face can make a big difference to the way you feel. Practice basic self-care, healthy eating, lots of hydration and thus maintain a healthy routine throughout the lockdown.
- Exercise if you can: Being physically active is easier said than done especially when you feel low or anxious, but it can significantly boost your mood. Exercising at homein the present age is made easier through web sources that guide and give options for people belonging to all age categories and tastes.The options for physical activity vary fromyoga, cardio workouts, Zumba, aerobics to walking around the space your house. Expose yourself to sunlight at least for 10 to 15 mins a day, preferably in the mornings.
- Distract yourself: Someone once rightly said, ‘An idle mind is a devil’s workshop.’Mental activity is as essential as physical activity in order to combat mood swings. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help vent out negative thoughts. There are plenty of activities one can engage in at home. These include crafts, painting,reading, cooking and baking. For those who haven’t been able to beautify their house, this is the right time to clean and dust your house.
- Avoid obsessing over endlesscoronavirus coverage: Although it is essential to watch news and gain information on what’s going around the world, it is sometimes good to switch on to another channel and lighten your mood by watching some entertainment programme, movie or gain insights from channels like National Geography etc. Social media has to be distanced at times to keep our minds calm and cool.
- Stay in touch: Another critical component of good mental state is feeling connected to others. This time, technology is our friend. Instead of blindly forwarding unauthentic messages on social media, have a chat with friends and relatives. A talk over the phone is preferable.Social distancing places restriction on physical interaction and not interaction over the phone. Children are used to highly social environments and will also need to connect with people. Planning some video calls with friends and relatives would be encouraging.
- Prayer: We are people of faith. Prayer is an important part of our life. Though worship with large gatherings is banned, church services, meetings cannot be held, we can always pray at home. We can pray individually or with our family. Prayer in this time of isolation offers a spiritual bond that will remove loneliness from our time alone and strengthen our will. The Scripture or the Word of God offers us words of consolation, strength and reassurance that we need the most at this time.
- Take professional help: If it’s not possible to cope with the stress of this situation,it’s advisable to take professional help over the phone. For support with grief, anxiety or the mental well being one can reach out to psychologists or counsellors who are available over the phone during this period. You may even contact your family physician or any trusted individual who can help you out. As a Catholic community, we can always seek advice and help from our spiritual leaders, our priests. Fortunately, we have three dedicated and learned servants of God who wouldn’t look back to help anyone in need at anytime.
Let’s make the best use of this lockdown period to connect with the Almighty, with your family and friends and the world in an unusual way staying inside our homes. Thus, overcome the blue moods and be happy and contended.
Stay home, stay safe, and stay happy.
