These past few weeks have been unprecedented, rapidly evolving, and uncharted territory. For many of us, this is the first time we are facing a crisis of this magnitude. This is also the first time we have had to role-switch and be more concerned about our parents’ and grandparents. Not to mention many of us are far away from family or close friends and don’t know when we will see them again. If you’re not providing healthcare or safety on the frontlines or manning essential grocery stores, most of us are working from home, which completely pivots daily lifestyles, businesses and work-life culture. These things are all true for me.
As a therapist, I recognize how important it is to be aware of our mental health during a time like this, so I’m sharing a few strategies to help you with how you’re feeling.
It’s helpful to have an emotional first-aid kit at hand! This list has some strategies that you try to help manage your anxiety.
1. Set healthy boundaries:
- Take a break from social media and the news (limit to 30-60 mins a day); try to avoid reading news or articles first thing in the morning or right before going to sleep.
- Pay attention to where you put your energy: limit interactions with people who are catastrophizing, increasing your fears or dismissing your experience by minimizing it. If you aren’t able to limit that (maybe they are your family or roommates!), it’s okay to say “I’m taking a break from Corona coverage right now, is it okay if we talk about something else?”
- There’s a difference in being informed and being over-saturated with content.
2. Take Care of Your Health
- Engage in some physical activity — try some at-home workouts, there are tons on YouTube and Instagram Live — Downward Dog for yoga, Rumble for boxing, Doonya classes for working out like a Bollywood star, Blogiltes for full-body workouts.
View this post on Instagram
- Keep your immune system strong by eating well. Keep nutritious snacks and fruits at home, make healthy meals at home whenever you can. Make sure you eat throughout the day and are drinking enough water. (This water bottle will keep you on track on drinking regularly.)
- Even though you aren’t going out as often, try to keep a schedule and structure to your day. Try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day.
3. Strengthen Self-Care
- The weather is becoming nicer — open the blinds, open your windows, sit by sunlight if you can.
- Practice acceptance:
- Focus your energy on the things you can change and have control over. List them down, engage with them.
- Increase your ability to tolerate uncertainty and the present moment, even when it’s painful or uncomfortable.
- Don’t judge yourself for what you’re feeling, acknowledge those feelings.
- A great book on acceptance is “Radical Acceptance” or read one by a South Asian author — we’ve listed 23 including Tanuja Desai Hidier, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arundhuti Roy, Reshma Saujani and more.
4. Social Distancing is NOT Social Isolation
- Use technology to stay connected — Slack, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, Skype…or just the good, old-fashioned telephone!
- Start a new show with friends or family, and watch it at the same pace together! Discuss it episode by episode — it’s like a book club, but for a show!
- Some good shows to watch right now: Made In Heaven, Four More Shots, What’s The Love, Family Karma, Little America, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, High Maintenance, Queer Eye, Gentefied, or The Morning Show.
- Join our next virtual filmy trivia night or live reading by author Raakhee Mirchandani play more virtual games with Jackbox Games!
- Check-in with your grandparents, parents, older aunts and uncles — elderly people are most vulnerable right now.
5. Engage in Creative Activities
- Pick up a new hobby, like cooking or learning a new language. You can use DuoLingo to learn a new language. Author of New York Times bestseller “Nothing Fancy and Dining In” Allison Roman’s recipes make the NYT cooking newsletter each week, check them out here. Or if you want desi food inspo, check out our food bloggers, Nisha Pawar, Megha Patel, Zheel Patel or Ann Itoop’s recipes here.
- Get some houseplants and tend to them. Good timing because lifestyle blogger Arshia Moorjani just shared her tips via Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
- Think of something you used to love doing as a child — colouring, painting, knitting, puzzles — bring those activities back in your life! Our friends at Indigrow Kids is a good place to start!
- Create daily goals: try to tackle any household errand each day (organizing closet, sorting clothes you want to donate, organizing makeup drawer, rearranging furniture).
6. Seek Professional Help Unapologetically
- There are many online therapy resources that you can access right now at sliding scale fees — including Sukhi, Samata Health, TalkSpace, BetterHelp, Octave Therapy. If you have health insurance, call them and find out your behavioural/mental health benefits and then get a list of providers who are in their network.
- Online resources like MannMukti, Headspace and Calm could also make a difference.
- Podcast host and mom blogger Tejal Patel is making waves and helping kids learn how to meditate with “Meditation for Kids” — orders yours now!
View this post on Instagram
- Ask your doctor if they can refer you if you are struggling.
Do a good deed by delivering coffee or tea to your local hospital or fire station, unwind with a virtual hangout session, or take a long walk, but it’s okay to feel anxious or overwhelmed. This is a challenging time, remember to be as kind to yourself as you are to others.
Disclaimer: Information in this article is not intended to be medical or mental health treatment. If you feel unwell or If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger, please go to your closest emergency room or call 911.
