Editorial: Mental Health and Quarantine

Laying in bed, alone in the dark.. pondering every aspect of life. Wondering exactly what day it is, what time it is, what to do next. Thinking, “Should I be productive today, should I just sleep? What is the point?”. These are just a few examples of not only what depression and anxiety do to your brain and body, but what everyone is going through now, together, in this insanely dark time.

Something I’ve noticed through this pandemic is the lack of conversation about mental health, and how those of us with anxiety and/or depression are handling it all. I wanted to touch base on this subject for personal and empathetic reasons. Every single day is a new day, filled with new information and a new way of living. Change isn’t easy, and this new normal certainly is not easy at all. Covid-19 is very obviously affecting our bodies physically, but what about the huge shit it’s taking on us mentally? It’s time to buckle down, social distance ourselves and get our minds as occupied as possible. Here is a list of things I personally think can help during these extremely difficult, and sometimes very lonely times.

BREATHE

Find your breath. I know that when I’m anxious and overthinking everything, my body decides to hold in air for long periods of time. Close your eyes. One slow breath in for four seconds, and another slow breath out for four seconds. Repeat. Do this in a quiet and calming environment. Maybe even put on your favorite meditation music you can vibe to. Just make it as comfortable for you as possible. You are okay. You got this.

Center Yourself

I like to focus on my five senses to bring myself back to reality.
Sight. What do you see in front of you? Describe it out loud or in your head.
Sound. What noise is flowing through your ears in this present moment? Is it nearby? Is it outside in the distance? Focus on that noise.
Touch. Feel what is in front of you or nearby. Think about the texture and the item/object that it is.
Taste. Are you eating or drinking anything? Do you have a specific taste left in your mouth from something before?
Smell. Sniff that scent around you and focus on what that smell is. I’m hoping it’s pleasant!

Create!

Get those old paint brushes out from that dusty box sitting in your storage room. It’s time for some art therapy! No, you do not need to be “artistically talented” to join in on this one. Every single one of you has a creative side. Whether it’s making music, painting, drawing, dancing, coloring, etc. — whip it all out and dive deep into it! Touching back into an artistic side of you that hasn’t been touched in a while feels so good. It brings out emotions you weren’t sure on how to express, and gets them out beautifully. Even if you never make art, try it out! I promise even just coloring a picture from your favorite coloring book is so relaxing, and brings you into the “now.”

Exercise. Exercise. Exercise!!!

Put that body in motion. Even if it just means going for a six ft. distance walk around your block, try to do it every single day that you can. Working out releases pheromones, which we need more than ever right now. I personally like to look up YouTube videos on at home workouts. Some teachers are even offering online virtual classes, look into it! I have tons of friends who have been benefiting from these.

Stay in Touch

Keep connecting with your friends and family. Whether it’s online, over the phone, or even a letter. Keep that connection going. Just because we cannot physically be by our loved ones, does not mean we can’t hangout with them. I’ve been video calling my friends almost every single day. Play games, catch up, binge watch the same TV show at the same time, have dinner and drinks. Always remember, you can still have those emotional connections and make memories, just without that physical touch and presence.

Whatever it is that gets you by through this quarantine, just remember that you are not alone. You are loved. You are important. Ponder on old hobbies that make you happy, or maybe new ones you want to try out. This is a great time to learn. Remember to get outside, take in the sun, breathe it all in, and then back out again. Anxiety does not define you, and neither does this pandemic.

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