Why Mental Health is Important During Quarantine

Hey there! This quarantine thing has me all out of wack, but I’m not alone. So many people are experience weird mental health issues related to the sudden change in our world. Weird dreams, sudden isolation, sudden and quick changes in our natural routines; all of these things can cause feelings of anxiety and unease. That’s why it’s important to keep your mental health during quarantine at the forefront now.

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Why Mental Health is Important Now

Mental health is already something that many people don’t want to talk about, something that is still so taboo. Even now, during this pandemic mental health is still not being talked about nearly enough by the media. Many people are scared about what is going to happen, if they’re going to lose their job, if they’re going to get sick, and so much more. Many are also comparing themselves to others during this time.

It’s okay to have feelings of unease and anxiety right now

I remember when this whole thing started, some were excited to start new routines, new and better lifestyle habits, and how they were going to clean their whole home and start fresh. I remember thinking that I might do some of that as well. As an airline employee, I’m considered an essential employee and my position is not able to work from home so I wasn’t going to have as much free time, but I remember thinking about all the cleaning I was going to do on my days off. But, as March went on those were not the thoughts that I was having anymore, and many others were feeling the same way.

Some of the feelings you could be experiencing are insomnia, heightened anxiety, changes in eating patterns, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, and many others. If you feel like you can’t get up off the couch, no matter how many times your brain tells you to get up and get going. Then you see everyone accomplishing these things and you feel like you can’t even get off the couch. You’re not alone. You. Are. Not. Alone. This is one of my biggest issues during quarantine, to get up and get started. My brain is so overwhelmed, it can’t even figure out what to do next.

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What does this mean for me? I don’t have time for that

This means a variety of things, depending on your situation. A major disruption to your life and the subsequent anxieties can cause further disruption to your life. It can even lead to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Even if you don’t develop those illnesses, the lack of concentration can prevent you from getting things done that you need to get done. Even worse, if you have a family that you have to take care of, it means that you may feel like you don’t have time for your mental health. Everything feels like its moving 100 miles a minute and you can’t even keep up with the day-to-day tasks. But that is exactly why you have to stop and take some time for yourself.

How to Take Care of Yourself and Your Mental Health During Quarantine

There are things you can do to take care of your body and your mind. Doing these things can help you cope with stress and sudden change.

• Meditate
• Take a walk outside
• Exercise regularly
• Eat a healthy meal
• Read a book
• Do something you enjoy
• Connect with others (virtually)

It is so important during this time that you find things for yourself, create new routines, and take care of your mental health during quarantine. Things are going to keep changing with this virus and the 24-hour news cycle. It’s important to take things one day at a time and focus on the here and now.

Final Thoughts

Your mental health should be important all of the time, but it should be at top of mind now. I know with everything going on, it can seem crippling, but you are in control of you. Even if all you can do is get up and change out of your pajamas, that’s one step. You don’t have to implement these life-changing things into your life, but it’s important to make progress.