Home Health Care Tips Mental health and Covid-19: tips to combat isolation from the pandemic

Mental health and Covid-19: tips to combat isolation from the pandemic

Although we each react differently to stressful situations, an infectious epidemic like coronovirus can generate common features when it comes to mental health. The situations derived from the state of alarm thus imply that people experience symptoms derived from social distancing, quarantine or isolation, generating a feeling of anxiety, worry or fear.

This is caused by a multitude of factors, such as one's own health or that of others, employment consequences, uncertainty about the situation, loneliness ... To face this situation, there are a series of tips and recommendations with the aim of taking care of mental health during quarantine. In this sense, experts from the Spanish Society of Psychiatry (SEP) have worked, who have prepared a document on these guidelines. They have also done it from Lundbeck with a text prepared by experts from Semergen and psychiatry.

Among them, the need to become aware of the situation, focusing on the risk that can be caused to oneself or to others in their environment if the indicated isolation is not followed. Therefore, it is necessary to inform yourself by going to reliable sources of information, thus also avoiding overexposure to the media and avoiding ‘infoxication’.

Perspective and small goals

Also, it is advisable to keep some perspective on the situation. A calm that allows us to avoid catastrophic thoughts, showing the temporary and temporary situation that we are living. Of course, following health recommendations and understanding that they are for our good is also vital.

Establishing a daily plan of activities, setting a routine with simple goals ensures that the hours also pass more easily. Similarly, it is also important not to neglect healthy habits: hygiene, diet, physical activity ... And, of course, take advantage of the advantages that technology offers to maintain the necessary social contact, either by telephone or videoconference.

Designated groups

It is also essential to pay attention to groups such as children, who must be informed in a way adapted to their age. It is necessary to understand that there is no use keeping them on the sidelines or hiding what is happening.

Patients with depression or mental illness are also a group on which to project attention. Maintaining compliance with treatment, as well as contact and communication with your family and friends is very important. In addition, in the face of an aggravation situation, this contact must also occur with the health and social resources available.

Last but not least, senior citizens must also fight the effects of quarantine on their mental health. Using solitude for the benefit of taking advantage of relaxation or meditation exercises is a good guideline in this case. Likewise, the use of the means of communication to combat social distancing and carry out activities (physical or not) are some recommendations in order to mitigate the current situation.