Remain Calm: We'll Get Through This

Considering the current situation around the world, I thought this would be a good time to talk about how I am handling the unprecedented changes in society. By doing so, I hope to provide you with a few tools or ideas of how to make the current situation a little more manageable.

As of today, my classes have all moved online, the building I work at has shut down (also the location of my fitness center), restaurants are carryout/drive thru only, and I cannot find toilet paper anywhere. Needless to say, I am officially stir crazy. My body and mind is telling me I need to go do things, but I have nowhere to go. My mom is in the high risk category and my dad is dealing with the madness at the retail store he works at. That has left me to go get groceries, pick up prescriptions, and above all, do the best I can to not bring the virus home with me. It is stressful to say the least.

The activity that has helped me most is walking. I live in a subdivision, so it is easy to go walk around the path by the small lake or around the block without coming into contact with people. As I mentioned in my first podcast, the reason I love my fitness center so much is because of the indoor walking track it features. Taking a walk around my subdivision is not only breaking up the monotony of being stuck inside, but it will prevent me from losing the endurance I have built up and from gaining weight, because let’s face it, it is easy to snack all day when stuck inside. Also, walking outside is a good excuse to get fresh air.

Second, I have watched a lot of Netflix and Hulu the past few days. Entertainment is a great way to immerse yourself in something other than the frustrating reality you might face. For me, I have been sticking to comedies or movies I have been eager to watch. For example, I finally watched GoodFellas on a platform other than cable. Let me say, uncensored GoodFellas is even better than the censored cable version, and I already claimed it to be my favorite mob movie. Distraction is a tool worth using, but try to find distractions that will make you laugh or put your mind at ease. This is not the time to watch a tearjerker. On a side note, as more and more libraries are closing, check out the e-book apps they offer. I know with mine, I input my library card into Overdrive, Hoopla, and Axis 360, and I have access to all the e-books that the library has paid for at no additional cost.

Finally, and I think this is the most important one in terms of mental health, try not to check the news every ten minutes. I am guilty of this and I regret it each time I do it. If you receive news notifications on your phone, turn them off. In a situation like this, you will receive a notification every half an hour and that is a recipe for a mental health disaster. What I have been doing is limiting myself to 10 minutes of news every 4 to 6 hours. I will check a national news website I trust and one local news website. This way, I still have an understanding of what is happening across the country and in my region, but I am not bombarded with notifications all day. I made this mistake over the weekend and by Sunday afternoon, I was an anxious mess.

In a time of unprecedented restrictions and closures, it is important to remember that your mental health is still important. However, it may be a struggle to remain relaxed and stable. That is where coming up with a plan to combat these new stressors come into play. Put some time into it. Think about options for exercise, entertainment, and talking with friends or family (phone calls, video chats). At the current rate, this could be the new normal for the next month or two, so it is better to come up with an action plan now than to let yourself slip into a depressive state. I wish everyone the best of luck in this trying time and I hope this post eases your mind.

Please check back next Friday for my 4th podcast. Until then, do not forget to follow me on Twitter: @TalksBlog