It is quite common to feel a sense of anxiety or chaos while things around the world are uncertain. The global spread of this threat doesn’t just raise concerns about our physical health, but our mental health too. When faced with mental health woes, it is best that we seek help from professional online psychiatrists or psychologists.
Many of us have been subjected to anxiety, distress, depression and/or fear of the change in our everyday life during these tough times. These could be triggered due to various reasons, but it is important we look after ourselves in a time like this. With online healthcare providers offering platforms for online psychiatrist consultations, it has become convenient to get in touch with mental health professionals.
It is important we keep regular contact with our psychiatrists to make sure we are, mentally, in the best shape possible. Online psychiatrist consultation is extremely helpful in times like these but it is also important to take care of ourselves even when we may not be in a session with them.
Here are a few small things we can all do that would help us cope better and make sure we stay mentally fit during the pandemic:
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Moderate Your News Intake
Especially during this Covid-19 pandemic, it is important we stay informed of what happens around us but it is equally important to not obsess over the news or be consumed by fear.
Talk to your psychiatrist in your consultation sessions on all things that you feel weird or worried about.
Make sure you get your information from reliable and authentic sources. While doing so, also limit the intake of news that may cause you to feel anxious or distressed. You can also limit the frequency of your news updates to just one or two times a day by regulating the time you spend on social media. This way you can stay informed of what is necessary but also not expose yourself to many stressors, unnecessarily.
Maintain a Routine
In a time filled with so much uncertainty and confusion, it is necessary to take control of the things you can control. Maintaining a routine helps us feel more secure and focused, which will help attain better mental balance.
Try to sleep at a similar time every day, have your meals on time, create a simple exercise routine, keep track of your personal hygiene and allocate time for work and rest. These are some things you could do that will help make up a healthy routine. With the help of a few digital healthcare providers, you can even schedule online psychiatrist consultations at regular intervals that are convenient to your routine.
Social Interaction
While the worldwide pandemic may have restricted our ability to go out and spend time with our loved ones, we can still stay in touch through various other means. It is important to keep in contact with the people you love and feel comfortable talking to.
Having regular social interaction with family and friends over a phone call or video call can help us feel much lighter and connected in such times.
Managing Screen Time
Whether you spend time on screens for work or leisure, make sure to space it out and give yourself a break, every now and then.
Work is important, but your health takes precedence. So don’t forget to take a quick break for a brisk walk or a little stretching, while working.
Video games and social media can be relaxing and fun, but you may feel easily tempted to spend a long time on them too. It is necessary that you regulate your time for some offline activities as well. From, exercising to drawing to reading a book, there’s a lot more you can do off-screen that would help you make good use of your time.
While these are a few things that can help keep yourself healthily engaged, it is also good to maintain a regular check-in with your psychiatrist. With the advancement in technology and medical services, online psychiatrist consultations can help you get more personalised advice on how you can look after yourself better during thispandemic.
Look after your physical and mental health, with equal importance. So make sure to keep these suggestions in mind, talk to your psychiatrist and keep yourself in good shape despite the harsh times.