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The vivid mind clinic comprehends and perceives the sentiments of nervousness, pain and worry that individuals might be encountering in relation to the COVID 19 pandemic. This is a short article that should ease things a bit.
Infectious disease outbreaks can be alarming and can influence our emotional well-being. While it is essential to remain educated, there are several things we should be doing to maintain our physical and mental well being.
Here are five things you should absolutely do !
1) Limit the news.
Television and print media are our windows to the world. However, the extensive coverage about the outbreak is bound to cause a lot of stress. Dramatic music and enthusiastic reporters tend to keep us on edge waiting for something to happen. This constant stress is unnecessary, it’s sometimes like you are watching a horror movie for hours on end, waiting for the next jump scare.
It is important that you stay informed but limit your news intake if it is bothering you. Trust me, you do not need to know the exact number of COVID-19 infected people in India every hour.
2) Do not take sides, everybody is struggling right now.
Try not to judge people and abstain from encouraging nasty or hurtful thoughts about people who are portrayed in bad light.
“She escaped quarantine” or “He failed to self quarantine” or “He went out during curfew”
This does not reflect on the individuals motives or intelligence. Do not join the bandwagon in being critical of people, remember that we know only what we are told. It’s not the best time to be unempathetic. The Coronavirus can affect anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity and financial status. Be nice, to yourself and others.
3)Stay connected with people, connect with yourself.
Janta curfew ! This means you can’t head out or hang out with your buddies for a while. We are lucky that this is happening in 2020, we can choose to reach out to anyone we choose to. If you are worried or overwhelmed, talk to someone rather than googling answers.
If you have children, be that parent you always wanted to be.
If your parents are old, be that son/daughter you always wanted to be.
If you have friends who are introverts, please check in on them !
Most importantly, try to use this time to reflect on yourself, maybe this is the time you needed to figure your life out !
4) Disconnect from the virus
Remember that you only need to know how to keep yourself and others safe, you do not need a doctorate about the virus. Refrain from reading every article that is posted, please do not keep posting about it and please try to not pick up arguments on COVID 19. Limit the amount of time you spend reading or watching things which aren’t making you feel better. There is no point to it, you should be spending time doing things that you love !
All the information that most of us absolutely require can be limited to the next sentence “Wash hands, avoid unnecessary contact with people and follow government guidelines”.
5)Clean up your act.
This will pass, in a few weeks or a few months this will be over and you (and I) will be back to our routines complaining about “how we just don’t have the time” ! Now you have the time to –
Read a book – Get in shape – Learn an instrument – Learn a language – Write that love letter – Watch that movie – Sing that song – Start that podcast – catch up on sleep – paint that masterpiece and do whatever you would kick yourself for not doing once this is over.
That’s about it from me, for now ! On a personal note – You will be okay. Please take care of yourself, don’t drown in the noise. Find ways to fulfill your needs and wishes so that by the time this is over, you have moved ahead in your journey. Turn off the TV, post something funny on facebook, heal the world bud ! I know you can do this !
Psst . . . Why don’t you google – 100 things to do while quarantined ???