Here goes:
A mental health primer-for a pandemic
Understanding some basic facts about mental health is useful when we are all under such duress. As with improving physical health, our mental health can also be strengthened. Let’s divide this idea into two parts.
Part one: fear & stress
The current situation brings home how little is truly under our control. At times like this, it is helpful to have as much clarity as we can about what is given to us to do, and what is not. Often, when we are able to decide that certain things are not given to us to do, this allows us to ease expectations. This small step, can lower high stress to a level that is less emotionally taxing.
On this note, we should expect to be shaken by “fear thoughts”. Like a pulse or heartbeat, these thoughts, however uncomfortable, let us know that our instinct to survive is “operational”.
How we deal with fearful thoughts is part of the “abc”s of mental health. It is good practice to note the fear and to then let it go. This means employing distraction, or utilizing exercise or meditation to calm ourselves. A more relaxed body will often ease the mind. The goal is to avoid allowing a “first fear” thought to induce an ongoing state of fearfulness and alarm.
A state of alarm often produces moments of panic. Panic differs from fearful thoughts because it triggers the natural flow of adrenalin. This event shifts what began as a thought, into a physical change. Prolonged states of panic, lead to a state of “depletion”. This resembles the exhaustion athletes may experience at the conclusion of a hard fought game. Since the experience of depletion can feel the same as depression, it is useful to be able to distinguish one from the other.
Part two: sadness and depression
Just as we should not be surprised to have fearful or morbid thoughts, we can also expect to feel sad. On some level, we have all lost some part of what our lives looked like prior to the outbreak of this pandemic. Feeling loss and sadness allows us to grieve. Although no one enjoys grief, the ability to grieve losses is a cornerstone of mental health.
Whereas “clinical depression” is a psychiatric problem that is eased by medication, grief-related sadness typically cycles through when we are able to identify and accept the loss for what it is. A shift from grief to gratitude for what we are able to maintain, is a basic part of practicing good mental health.
Lastly, being able to help others is a valuable human capability. It is also a reliable mood changer. The experience of actually helping another person is a useful way to manage the feelings of helplessness that are part of contending with this pandemic.
No comments:
Post a Comment