How to mentally cope in a pandemic lockdown

Pandemic lockdown is a very difficult time. No doubt there will be many people who will facing psychological distress and even trauma from this experience. It is therefore vital to attend to our psychological well being during this troubling time. There are a lot of negative emotions in the air, such as fear, anxiety, confusion, denial, distrust, uncertainty and frustration, It is important understand the serious implication of negative emotion on our mental well being and our immune system. I am not a psychologist but here are some tips I think will help you keep yourself in a healthier mental space and emotionally damage the situation better:

1. Start from a place of calmness and clarity:

It is said to always start from a place of calmness and clarity. This is especially true in chaotic times when negative emotions drive us into hysteria, manipulate us and cause us to make unwise decision. Being calm and at peace in the midst of chaos is true strength.

2. Preparation and precautions brings confidence and reduce anxiety:

If you are prepared then you will be more confident and less anxious. For example, have adequate stock of essential goods. Also taking precaution such as wearing mask, keeping basic hygiene, social distancing and disinfecting & leaving goods untouched (for viruses to die) will help you feel more safe and reassured.

3. Reduce your exposure to the news:

It is good to be informed but do not overly indulge yourself in bad news that may create fear, anxiety, stress and hysteria. Instead of stressing and worrying over something that is out of your control, spend time productively to improve yourself and help others around you.

You can be an anchor or strength to others if you can  be calm, collective and stable person in times of mass hysteria.

4. Have a good community and healthy relationship with our love ones:

Humans are social creature. Having a good community and a healthy relationship with our family and friends gives us a sense of psychological security and comfort. Knowing that you have others around you will support you in times of need and vulnerability reduces our worries, anxiety and loneliness. Essentially no one can survive alone and so it is important to maintain a health relationship with people around us.

Having someone to express your concern helps to get things off your chest and help you feel that you are not the only out there. This goes both ways. Learn to listen to others. If we have no one to share our concern, then try writing your thoughts in a journal diary.

5. Exercise:

Regular exercise have a positive impact on stress, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and boosts your overall mood. Even a modest amounts of exercise can make a difference.

6. Spend time in nature:

Just something about human returning to their natural habitat in nature is refreshing, healing and help us feel grounded and balance. Spend some time in nature such as more time in your garden. Also spending time in the sunlight helps improve your mood and immune system.

7. Music therapy:

Don’t underestimate the power of some music. Some music can really lift the mood and sooth the soul. It is a positive distraction and a great source of inspiration. I recommend easy listen and folk genre.

8. Adopt morning and night ritual into your routine:

I also suggest having a morning and night ritual. Morning ritual such as meditation, stretches or positive reflection has proven to make the day more productive as it build a positive momentum and mindset that is carried through the day. Self care night ritual calm and relax ourselves. This helps reduce our anxiety and gives us a better sleep.

9. Mindfulness, Meditation and prayers:

Being mindful of our emotions helps us understand ourselves better and allow us to make better decisions. This is especially needed when negative emotions such as hysteria, fear and anxiety is more common during quarantine.

When we recognise these emotions,  it will naturally weaken it’s power and control over us. We can then create a mental space where we can take control and respond appropriately instead of just reacting mindlessly to it. The key is to be mindful and not to cling or react to these emotions.

Meditation is a powerful tool to enhance our mindfulness and awareness.  Meditation helps us to be mindful and aware of our present state of mind and emotion in a non-clinging way. This allows us to not be engulfed by our wild and negative emotions. Instead of reacting unwisely or impulsively without a choice, it gives us a mental space and option to respond in a more wiser and skilful way.

The power of prayer can nourish our soul if we are sincere. It we try to send positive and loving kind intention to the world, our mind too will experience loving kindness and positive healing energy.

10. Being connected & knowing you’re not the only one:

Feeling alone can add another layer of burden to what is already stressful. Knowing we are not the only one going through this difficulties brings a sense of comfort. It helps us feel understood, helps us know it’s normal to feel this way and helps us to accept our situation & emotionally move on. Also, when we feel connected to others, it’ll encourage us to be stronger person so we can be a rock they can rely on in these difficult times.

11. Appreciate and enjoy those little things:

Despite many changes, chaos and problems in our lives and society; find peace, gratitude and grounding in those little things. Things like appreciating the nice weather, enjoying your favourite tea, spending time with our family or just having a good health.

12. Have something to look forward to:

Have a plan of what you want to do once this temporary lock down. Dreams keeps going through hard times. Having something to look forward to is a great source of motivation and inspiration to keep going.

12. Spend your time productively and work towards your goals:

Despite that most part of society are being closed and feels eerily frozen, now is the perfect to work towards the goals you wish to achieve. It’s about turning adversity into opportunity. Time is precious so used this precious time can be used to reach your dreams and goals, whether it is learning a new skill set, doing an online course, preparing to start a business, being in good shape or writing a book, You can consider this as a blessing in disguised and this lock down will help you in the long run. Being busy also helps us stop our idle minds from dwelling in dark mental places. Nothing is quite regretful than to waste our precious time.

However, if you don’t feel like being a busy bee, then that’s also perfectly fine. Everyone is different, and it’s also important to be kind to ourselves. Sometimes we are emotionally stressed out and we just need time to relax, indulge a bit and do the things we enjoy to cope with the stressful situation. Sometimes just going through the lock down and not being psychologically traumatised is a great achievement itself.

Letting go of your dreams may be the cause of your anxiety. Don’t let the lock down crush your dreams, take your time to prepare and work towards it.

14. Avoid negative addiction:

During stressful time it is natural for us try to escape reality. However, this can lead to harmful addictions such as gambling, alcohol, smoking or drug abuse. Addiction by nature is not healthy because it leads us to be compulsive, lose control and lose discipline. I recommend replace it with positive, healthy or less destructive ‘habits’. Here are some ideas: exercising, sports, archery, meditating, playing chess, knitting, arts and craft, reading, learning or gardening.

15. Positive thinking and outlook:

Sometimes we can’t change the circumstance but we can change the way we perceive and handle it. Having positive attitude in times of adversity is even more so important. Here are some philosophy or outlook I believe that may be useful:

• Instead of blaming others, use our energy to make the situation better.
• We can’t completely control the circumstances but we can control our mind, attitude and do the best we can.
• Negative emotions comes and go like clouds, so don’t be too attached to it.
• Life itself is harsh so cherish those little happy things as it comes along.
• Times of adversity will help build a closer bond with your love ones, true friends and community.
• Difficult times breed heroes and genuine relationship.
• It will be over soon. This daunting situation will pass. So be patient, help others and keep busy with positive things.
• Remember that humans are smart and adaptable. We will be OK.

Other tips:

Here are some other notable mentioned tips:

• Dress up in your day clothes during the day. Perhaps wear a comfortable home clothes wear. Avoid wearing PJs as it will make you feel too relax and lazy. Clothing has unconscious effect on how we feel.

I hope these psychological and philosophies will help you during this troubling time.