Hi everyone!
Since there is rarely anything else on my mind, I thought I would share some thoughts about mental health in our new world.
First of all, I have learned a lot about myself over the past few months. Before this pandemic was declared, I would have told you that I was in arguably the best "mental space" I have ever been in. But here's the thing. I have discovered that mental well being is BEST measured during times of hardship.
Here's why:
My mental health was NOT prepared for the way life was about to change. (I acknowledge that nobody was prepared. I know I am not alone in this feeling). My mental health WAS prepared for my standard; work 5 days a week- come home and hangout with my boyfriend- see my friends on the weekend- life. Before this, I thought that I could handle anything. In reality, I was only as strong as how predictable and comfortable my life continued to become.
I could say that this pandemic made me anxious. But anxiety pales in comparison to the terror that I felt for those first 2 months. I felt (and often still feel) that my health and safety and the health and safety of my loved ones is in immediate and grave danger. Logically, I am aware that by taking the proper precautions I can keep myself safe. This, however, does not mean that I don't spend the majority of my days scanning my body for symptoms, and panicking about my inevitable demise.
With the support of my family and loved ones, I came up with some strategies to help me cope. I am not back to my old self, but I am getting there.
I now know that I need to take care of my mental health for the bad days, not the good days. Because that's the thing about life- you truly never know what's going to come next. Keeping yourself mentally healthy is what is going to make the bad days a little easier, or maybe even just tolerable. The good days will continue to come regardless, so enjoy them when they do!
All of this to say, please be kind. I am fully aware that there are many people like me out there, who are struggling to cope. As everything begins to return to "normal" please be patient. Not everyone feels comfortable enough yet, and that's okay. We are all just trying to navigate this new world in the best way that we can, and it's going to look different for everyone. Nobody has done this before. It took me quite a while to adjust to new life back in March, and it's taking me a while to adjust back to less social distancing. We can only do what makes us feel safe.
If you are struggling right now, please reach out. If not to me, there are lots of resources now out there. Most counselors are taking video appointments, and if you have an employee assistance program, you can contact them for some free sessions with an approved counselor. There have also been many new online mental health supports put in place so give them a google!
Stay safe, friends.