There is no doubt that the past 14 months have been difficult. Mental health can be a struggle during the best of times, and this past year was certainly not the best of years. As news comes in regarding COVID-19 timelines, it is important to remember to take care of ourselves as we move forward in handling this pandemic. It is essential to keep practicing the healthy self-care methods we know work for us, and to learn ways of coping and find resources that we can continue to take with us in 2021 and beyond.
Taking care of emotional health is not an easy task. We all have different ways of coping, and different strategies work for different people. These can include making sure to sleep and exercise regularly, and eating well balanced meals. It can include taking the time to meditate (our firm definitely enjoys group meditation, even over ZOOM) or do breathing and stretching exercises. It can be making time for connecting with people you love or hobbies you enjoy. It can even include recognizing your limits when taking in news or social media, and limiting your exposure to those as needed if the content becomes difficult to handle. All of these may sound simple, but it can sometimes be hard to remember how much of a positive impact these things can have on your mental health, and what a difference they can make as a starting point.
In addition to those things listed above, it is also important to remember that professional help is available if you need it. Whatever you may be struggling with, be it COVID-19 specific or not, there is no shame in seeking out assistance. Access is now even easier as more and more virtual and telehealth resources are available so you can find which ones work for you. If you or someone you know is in search of mental health resources, look here: https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/tools-resources/individuals/index.htm.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html
