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Last Updated on April 20, 2021
While the pandemic is slowly starting to ease in different parts of the world, it is far from over. Many of you are still stuck at home, particularly if you’re in a high-risk category. Amongst the many horrible things this pandemic has brought, mental health issues are right at the top. The downside of locking people up to save lives and stop the virus from spreading is that mental health issues have gone through the roof.
Plenty of people are suffering from depression as a result of the pandemic. If you’re struggling while home alone, here are some words of wisdom that could help you reach a better mental place:
Find something to do
For a lot of people, depression comes along because you feel like there’s no meaning to your life. You start feeling alone, all by yourself, and every day is spent with your own thoughts. The more time you spend with yourself, the harder it is to break free from your depressive state. A way to counter this would be to find other things to do, occupying your thoughts.
DIY is fantastic for this, giving you lots of projects to try and accomplish. You could attempt anything – from making your own painting to installing engineered wood flooring in your living room. Choose any task – big or small – and it takes up so much of your brainpower. You don’t have time to think negative thoughts, and the sense of accomplishment you get at the end will be a good hormonal boost!
Leave your house as much as you possibly can
The worst thing about being depressed during a pandemic is that you are couped up at home. It makes you feel trapped, and you see the same things over and over again. Instead, you need to break this routine and leave the house whenever possible.
Obviously, do this within reason. Don’t go out meeting friends or visiting other people’s homes. Mainly, you want to just go for nice long walks out in the open air. You can stay socially distanced, but being outside will provide a massive mood boost. In fact, some studies suggest that being outdoors triggers chemical signals in your brain that can ease feelings of depression. In short, it’s a real mood booster!
Stay in contact with friends/family
Don’t fall into the bad habit of cutting yourself off from those you love. Suffering from depression is absolutely horrible, but it’s easier to deal with when you have a strong support group around you. If you’re used to seeing your friends all the time, being stuck at home will be a massive shock to your system. Still, you can easily stay in contact with everyone through texting, video calls, or even socially distanced meetings.
Staying in touch with your loved ones will ease a lot of mental stress and get rid of some bad thoughts. Plus, you have people to talk to if you need to discuss your depression.
Coping with depression in a pandemic is never going to be easy. However, you should try to ease things by following the advice above.
