5 Tips for Managing Your Mental Health
April 9, 2020
Practicing social distancing, washing your hands and other important measures can help you protect your physical health and the physical health of others, but what about mental health? Being able to cope with the stress and anxiety that can often come with a situation like the COVID-19 outbreak is an important part of protecting your overall health and well-being. Learn how you can protect your mental health with these 5 tips from Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Lawrence Underwood and the Behavioral Health Team at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital.
With daily alerts from our National and State leaders related to COVID-19, these are indeed troubling times for all of us. We haven’t seen such drastic efforts to prevent a virus from spreading though “Social Distancing,” the active practice of avoiding close contact with other people, in our lifetimes.
Culturally, we are social creatures and are accustomed to gathering together for many different purposes: through social events, Church services, funerals, hospital visits, family gatherings, weddings, graduation ceremonies, and more. This change in our overall behavior – distancing ourselves from one another – is so alien to us. Along with this isolation from others, it is expected that many of us would have increased anxiety, or even a depressed mood. If you already have issues with anxiety and depression, these symptoms may become worse during this time. Our team on the behavioral health unit at LCRH have developed some helpful tips to guide you through the next few weeks:
1 | Call your counselor. Many counseling agencies offer virtual visits with their clients and this is a great opportunity to “check in” with a professional on your mental wellbeing.
2 | Use social media to your advantage and help to lift up our community. Check on one another through telephone calls, messages, video conferences, or other online tools. Play an online game with a friend. Call a family member who is isolated because they are older or considered high-risk. Tune in to your weekly church service via Facebook live. Stay connected to one another in as many safe ways as you can.
3 | Be a careful consumer of information. The news media has been great at sharing up-to-the-minute information around the clock, but if you find it triggering negative thoughts or feelings, step away for a few hours or set an alarm so that you only consume media for a limited time each day.
4 | Go outside. Enjoy the sunshine, even for just a few moments. A short walk or sitting outside in good weather has significant and wide-ranging health benefits, including reducing stress.
5 | Allow essential employees time to de-stress. Give them a few minutes to change out of their work cloths and take a shower or bath. They need some time to “wash off” the stress they have been under. Do what you can to not add more stress to them.
If you or a loved one needs to speak with a mental health professional, please feel free to call the LCRH Behavioral Health Unit at 606-678-3440.