COVID-19

I kind of feel like I'm jumping on a bandwagon by posting about the Corona Virus, but it is very relevant to mental health so I wanted to touch on the topic. I don't think it's possible that anyone has not heard all the hype surrounding the Corona Virus. The US Government has suggested that everyone quarantine themselves, and depending on where you live, there are shutdowns and closings. Where I live, in Pennsylvania, the governor mandated a stay-at-home/shelter in place order for the entire state, ordered that schools close, and ordered all but "life-sustaining goods or services" to shut down their physical operations. Many people are basically stuck in their houses, only leaving for groceries. To me, this sounds like an introverts dream! Mandated quarantine? Time to stay inside and knit and watch my true crime TV shows with my cats? Sign me up!

I, however, work for business that is considered "life-sustaining" so I go to work every day like normal. No quarantine for me. My days actually don't feel THAT different. I have mixed feelings about this. My inner introvert is crying out wanting to stay home, but I also know that I am very blessed to have a job and income since a lot of people have been hit very hard by the shutdowns. When I first heard that March Madness, the NBA and NHL were shutting down, I felt so bad for the all the people who would be affected. The professional athletes can still survive by not working, but the stadium employees? That is their livelihoods. In the past week or so I think the government has passed a bill to help companies and employees who are hurting, so hopefully they get that implemented quickly.

There are SO many memes and pictures out there that accurately capture how an introvert feels about the quarantine... we're fine; staying inside for an extended period of time is nothing new to us. It's the extroverts who are going crazy. This is a tough time for people's mental health. There are many who are anxious about the virus and worry constantly about catching it, or their family members getting it. Obviously there are those who worry about the financial consequences whether it be immediately related to not working or how it affects their retirement down the road with the stock market. Another issue is depression. If you watch the news for any period of time, it can make you feel really down. On top of that, you're stuck inside, at home all day and you're bored, so you just sit there and think. (Shout out to all the people who think up fake scenarios in your head all the time... I feel you). If the weather is crappy and you have to stay inside, that adds another layer to how you're feeling. It's a really difficult place to be for so many people.

I would first of all like to validate those feelings that people are struggling with. I see how this can be difficult to go through. My first recommendation for anyone who is trying to preserve their mental health is to NOT watch the news. If you have to watch it, try to limit how much you watch and be careful of what source you are getting your news from. I know there are benefits to knowing what is going on in the world, but they definitely hype things up to a worst case scenario. If you do currently have a mental health professional that you work with, see if you can get an appointment virtually. Last week I was scheduled for therapy and I was told that the office would be closed for all in-person sessions, but I had the option to still meet with my therapist via Zoom. It was nice to be able to have my therapy appointment but be in the comfort of my own home while doing so. I highly recommend this option if you have it available. If you have never had therapy before and feel like you need it at this time, try to reach out to some local places and see if you can get in with a therapist virtually. Also, I think I said this in a prior post, but you can always reach out to your pastor or clergy, and though I have not tried it, I have heard good things about "Talkspace".

I have also been able to use Zoom to have conversations with my family. I don't have an iPhone so I don't use FaceTime, but those kinds of options are great. I know my brother and his friends do a virtual happy hour since the can't get together and it's a great way to keep in touch with people. Try to prioritize some time in your day to text, call, or video call with your family and close friends so that you don't feel too isolated from the world. I think a big reason a lot of people are struggling is because we miss that human interaction that we probably took for granted before.

My final thought for the day is to not put too much pressure on yourself right now. What is happening in the world is unprecedented and there is no set "right" way to handle this. I saw some quote that Gwyneth Paltrow said everyone should try to learn a new language or write a book during the quarantine. First of all..... I'm sorry but she is so pretentious and out of touch with real people (not a fan of her at all)... this is bullshit. Normal people do not have an entire staff around them doing all of their cooking and cleaning therefore leaving time for writing a book. Most of you out there have a family to take care of and/or you're working from home at the same time. I'm sure that can fill your day entirely. I don't even have kids but there are days where I feel like all I accomplished after work was feeding my animals, cleaning litter boxes, taking the dog out and cleaning up animal hair. If you had a day where you wore your PJ's all day, that's okay! Obviously I want you to periodically check in with yourself and make sure you are practicing proper self-care, but we are all going to have days here and there where we are a hot mess.

#covid19 #covid_19 #coronavirus #mentalhealth #anxiety #selfcare #depression #quarantine #introverts #isolation #