Is it possible to be upbeat these days?
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
What do you think is the most important thing for people’s wellbeing these days of lock-down?
I think it is good to be aware that everyone reacts differently in a time of stress. These are unusual times, and it is ok to react in unusual ways. Some people find the shutdown incredibly frustrating, confining, and feel agitated and hemmed-in at home. Others are glad of the temporary ‘break’ from social obligations. Perhaps most people feel some combination or succession of these things at different times.
I read a nice commentary recently suggesting we may be experiencing grief in these days – grief for what we are cut off from at the moment, grief for our normal life, as well, of course, as grief for loved ones and friends who may be suffering or whom we may have lost during the Covid outbreak. Grief is a process that comes in different stages, which we just have to go through.
The most important things for me are: to accept how you are feeling, however that may be; to take care of your diet and exercise; and to try to be kind (to yourself and others) when you can.
What should I do if I feel over-whelmed or exhausted?
First realise this is normal. It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed or anxious about all that is going on – with many unknown factors about Covid and how we will manage it as a country.
Take time to rest if you feel tired.
Take time to meditate or pray.
Take time to do things that help you to relax, that you enjoy.
At the end of the day, we can’t control what is happening now. What we can do is focus on minding ourselves and those around us, by encouraging them to take care of themselves also.
Stick to the recommended weekly alcohol limits (11 units for women, 17 for men). When we feel stressed sometimes, we might be inclined to drink more to try to relax. However, this will have a detrimental effect on the quality of our sleep, on our mood, and on our anxiety levels.
Also, if you are feeling exhausted a lot, and have any respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) or fever too, you should contact your GP, as this can be part of a viral syndrome.
How can I keep upbeat or positive these days?
Well it is good to be positive and upbeat, but we don’t need to be like this all the time either. In fact it can be a bit draining, if we are feeling down or exhausted or overwhelmed.
I would say first, name how you are feeling today; then, accept this feeling.
If you are inclined to think negatively, try gently to challenge these thoughts, in order to get off of a negative thinking loop.
Practice gratitude. What things are you grateful for today?
Mindfulness practice, meditation or prayer can help us to keep things in perspective.
What impact do challenging situations have on our mental health?
Situations like the current lockdown are affecting people in many different ways. There is increased anxiety due to the uncertain health situation, the uncertain social and civil situation, financial uncertainty for many. There is increased stress within families as ‘cabin fever’ sets in and tempers fray.
People are spending a lot of time at home, often without structure to their day. People may be eating or drinking more alcohol. We tend to need structure and activity to keep our lives balanced – to balance engagement with rest, work with play, and even to balance our intake of food and drink with output requirements.
It is understandable that it is difficult for us to maintain structure in our day, as structure in our society is temporarily suspended too. But people might feel guilty for not being able to do everything they normally do, or to do things as well as normal.
All of this applies to everyone. Those at risk for mental health difficulties, for the above reasons, may be at risk of becoming unwell.
On the other hand, many patients are reporting to me that they feel relieved at present, as the ‘burdens’ of everyday life are also lifted. It is also a time of rest. It may alleviate pressures on some people who had been finding work or social engagement – or the world – stressful.
It allows us time to engage with previous or new interests, time to be creative, and time to be with spouses and families.
Many people are finding their neighbourhood is coming together more than ever. Perhaps you are getting to know neighbours you never knew before! This may be particularly so in more usually-anonymous urban areas.
Is there any silver lining to all of this?
There are the opportunities of rest and relaxation mentioned above. It can also be a time of reflection and re-evaluation. In the midst of challenges, we can come to see more clearly what is important to us. We are appreciating small things! A walk in the sun; new buds on trees; birdsong. I am appreciating coming to work!
We have seen amazing social solidarity for the most part during the crisis. There is hope arising from that in relation to the kind of society we can rebuild once we emerge from the shadow of Covid-19. So I suppose it is an opportunity presented more clearly than usual for us to build the kind of future we want.
What piece of wellbeing knowledge do you wish was more widely known?
I wish people knew the importance of self-care and quiet time. What do you enjoy? Schedule that in to your week. Every day: a period of quiet time for meditation or reflection or prayer. Start with 5 minutes of ‘mindful breathing’ if these practices are new to you. Mindfulness physically changes the brain and reduces firing in anxiety-related circuits. It helps to decrease the spiral of negative thinking in depression. The trick is to do a little every day. Yes, you can find 5 minutes.
Also: exercise.
Does spirituality or religious practice contribute to someone’s wellbeing?
I’ve mentioned some benefits of mindfulness practice, on which much research has been done. Studies also show that most mental health conditions are positively related to religious belief and/or practice. However, evidence also suggests that religious belief is beneficial, say, in anxiety-related disorders, more so when faith is deep and attachment to God is secure. Anxiety and guilt can be higher where faith is weaker and attachment is insecure. One UK study also seemed to show that spirituality without a religious scaffold seemed to be associated with poorer wellbeing. Another way of putting all of this is that you can’t force faith or spirituality to benefit wellbeing. Pursue meaning and truth, and other things will fall into place thereafter.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Sing, dance, play. Cry if you need. And wash your hands!
