The tricky thing about staying on top of your mental health in a pandemic, and the aftershocks of one, is that it’s perfectly normal to find yourself in emotional states you’ve never been in before.
“Covid-19 and the lockdowns that come with that have taken away a lot of the usual ways we deal with stress,” says Dr Vine. “And it’s tough when you can’t have those normal life rituals.” She says that one of the most important things we can do right now for ourselves is to remember that many of us are having normal reactions to abnormal times.
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“We are putting pressure on our families and ourselves, so when negative emotions come up, that does not mean you are losing the plot,” says Dr Vine. Indeed, a recent study by the Institute of Mental Health revealed that about 13 per cent of over 1,000 participants have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic. However, 81.8 percent indicated that they are willing to seek professional help for mental health concerns related to Covid-19.
Here, Dr. Vine walks us through how we can better understand our mental health needs, and not miss the signs that we – or those close to us – might need more support.
“The first consideration for your mental health needs to be: ‘what can I do for myself?’” says Dr Vine. “Feeling anxious, worried or more unstable in your mood are all very understandable things. What matters most right now are the small adjustments we can make in our life that mean we don’t become overwhelmed.” As study after study has shown, a little care taken by way of self-care really does pay dividends.
“You might think, ‘Okay, in order to address this I’m going to talk to my best friend today… I’m going to get a little time to myself by going for a walk… I’m going to give myself some treats or set myself goals I know I can achieve’. Many people will find they can work through worries with these adjustments,” says Dr Vine, who notes that common sense, but hard-to-do things such as going to bed at a reasonable hour matter too.
Of course, even with self-care moments throughout the day, negative feelings come up. When they do, “give yourself that allowance to feel distressed,” says Dr Vine. “Sit in your room and rant at the world for a while to let off steam.” For many women taking care of families and ageing parents, Dr Vine also acknowledges that checking in with your feelings might not be something you have time to do. The good news: we can let ourselves off the hook. “Sometimes that’s a really good coping mechanism because it does allow you to carry on and do all the things you have to do,” says Dr Vine.
For people who can’t create those moments for themselves throughout the day, Dr Vine says coping becomes more challenging. “It’s much harder for women with young families who can’t get time on their own, or if you’re living with someone who is not supportive or you’re isolated from people you love,” she says. “For people who don’t feel they can make those adjustments, that’s when it helps to reach out for more structured resources.”
A good next step, says Dr Vine, is visiting headtohealth.gov.au, where you can find free mindfulness courses, access the mood gym app for managing anxiety, get practical advice for coping with acute stress and also learn about good sleep, among many other resources.
We may throw around the words “I’m not coping” casually, but when it happens, the feeling is dire. “I could have a bad day and feel grumpy, and I sort of think, ‘Oh well, I’ll do some gardening and get over it.; But if you can’t concentrate and you feel like crying all the time and nobody knows how rotten you feel, then that is the time to seek professional help,” says Dr Vine. “There are ways through this.”
Your GP could connect you with a counsellor or whomever they deem appropriate for your situation, or you could speak to someone at the National Care Hotline (1800-202-6868). You could also get a referral letter from your GP or any Singapore polyclinics before making an appointment at the Institute of Mental Health.
“Some people may need to see a clinical psychologist if they have a pre-existing mental illness that’s been exacerbated by all of this; others may find that one or two sessions with a counsellor gives them the techniques they need to move forward,” says Dr Vine.
As we re-emerge, there will be new challenges. “And it may take more time for people to adjust,” says Dr Vine, noting that this may be especially true for people who’ve had a delay in their lives, in terms of career, education or other significant life events. “But it’s also important to recognise that there will be things to celebrate and enjoy. There is power in saying, ‘I hope things will be better.’ Hope is a really important thing in our life.”
“If you see someone not looking well or not responding in a way you might expect, asking how they are feeling or if there’s anything you can do is reasonable,” says Dr Vine. “But keep in mind that for a lot of people, it is quite hard to answer that question.” Dr Vine often recommends a resource called #chatstarter (on headtohealth.gov.au) which can help.
Once you’ve raised your concerns, be ready to return to the topic at a later date. And most importantly, ensure you have time to do that. “You need to think, ‘Am I in the right headspace to ask this person how they are feeling? Am I ready for them to take time, for them to burst into tears, push me away, or want to talk another time?’ There is no point asking someone ‘how do you feel’ if you’re too busy to stick around for the answer.”
Text: bauersyndication.com.au