A GUIDEBOOK TO YOUR MENTAL

WELL-BEING DURING THE

PANDEMIC
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INTRODUCTION

A year has passed since World Health Organization declared

Covid-19 a global pandemic. This pandemic is defining global
health crisis of our time and has come as the greatest challenge
humankind has faced in ages.

Stress, anxiety, disrupted routines, lack of social contact, reduced

physical activity are some of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic
that we all are going through.

There’s a lot of advice being offered right now about how to keep
yourself physically healthy during the coronavirus pandemic such
as practicing social distancing, washing your hands and wearing
masks.

Taking care of your mental health during this time is just as

vital to your overall well-being. So, while we all are trying to
deal with this pandemic, it is important to take steps to manage
and balance your psychological well-being too.

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HOW PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
This pandemic has affected mental health of many people in
different ways. The situation is far worse for people already
suffering from mental health challenges.

Many reports have reported symptoms of anxiety and depressive

disorders.

A KFF Health Tracking Poll from July 2020 also found that many
adults are reporting specific negative impacts on their mental
health and well-being, such as difficulty sleeping (36%) or eating
(32%), increases in alcohol consumption or substance use (12%),
and worsening chronic conditions (12%), due to worry and stress
over the coronavirus.

It has been over a year since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic

by the World Health Organization, and the working culture
changed abruptly. People started to work from home and are still
in the same situation, while millions of others lost their job.

Some people might say, “So what? Working from home is so

convenient!” The concern and answer lies in the fact that majority
of the people find meaning in their daily rituals of getting ready
to leave home, commuting, grabbing their cup of tea/coffee, or
filling their water bottle before sitting at their desk.
And, working from home has resulted in solitary confinement
and social isolation. Not only that, but constant exposure to an
environment of fear, anxiety, and loss has a negative impact
on our mental health.

(reference:https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for
-mental-health-and-substance-use/)

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NEED TO RECOGNISE AND ACCEPT

It’s time to realize and recognize mental health as essential as
physical health.

Some people are in the denial mode and do not accept the mental
health as a problem because of their own stigmatizing beliefs.
Acceptance is hard to come by and the process of acceptance
involves several factors to move someone from a state of denial
to a state of acceptance.

Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with

acceptance there can be recovery.

Here are a few other steps which can aid in ‘acceptance’.

1. Develop awareness around the mental health issues and beliefs
that support it.
2. Create a positive sense of self in the face of a mental health
problem.
3. Engage in positive activities that support acceptance like
attending therapies, taking medications, an active schedule etc.
4. Focus on supportive relationships that promote acceptance.
5. Pursue emotional experiences that boost acceptance. The
process of acceptance is also an emotional experience which
might involve making room for grief and pain and moving past
shame.

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HOW TO RECOGNIZE- INDICATORS

Your body is speaking to you. Just listen!

Our body give indicators for all the emotions that we experience.
It is crucial to listen to our body and recognize those indicators
to achieve a positive mental balance.

Remember one size fits all is not the right policy here. Emotions
and their indicators differ from person to person. Therefore,what
holds true for one person might not be the case with the other
person.

However, some general indicators that you need to consider are :

1. Changes in mood :

a. Sudden and big shifts in the mood

b. You are more irritable, sad, or anxious than
usual.
c. You’re struggling to manage your emotions.
d. Your emotions are making it difficult to perform
daily activities.

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2. Changes in sleep habits :

a. You are not able to fall asleep or you wake up

repeatedly throughout the night.
b. You feel that you’re sleeping too much.

3. Changes in appetite or weight

a. Eating too much or too little

b. Losing or gaining too much weight

4. Difficulty functioning

a. Difficulty concentrating
b. Difficulty staying focussed
c. Difficulty being productive

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THE IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 FOR
MENTAL HEALTH
Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the mental health of all the
generations. Gloominess, isolation, loss of income / job and fear
are triggering mental health conditions and worsening the existing
concerns.

Many people are also facing increased levels of alcohol and

drug use, insomnia, and anxiety.

While quarantine isolates people completely and

enhances loneliness, lockdown has forced everyone to
stay at home where we are constantly surrounded by
people thus stripping us of our personal space and
‘me time.’

HOW IT HAS IMPACTED ALL OF

US DIFFERENTLY
Till now, Covid-19 pandemic has affected all genders and all
generations. However, gendered impacts on mental health of this
pandemic have not been addressed in details by health/survey
agencies.

The fundamental step to provide effective interventions to mental

challenges is to recognize the extent to which this pandemic has
affected different genders and generations.

Let us observe few of the effects of this pandemic on men, women

and children.

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HOW IT HAS IMPACTED ALL OF US
DIFFERENTLY
For Men
Increased stress levels
Job uncertainty
Disrupted schedule and routine
Uncertainty surrounding investments and financial stability
Decreased self-esteem and sense of purpose from their
careers and ability to provide financially for their families

Women
Increased workload (both home and
career), additional hours for domestic
chaos and carework
Increased stress levels
Job insecurities, financial insecurities
for working women
Change in routine, additional workload,
Shrinked social circle
Increased risk of violence against women

Children
Social isolation
A loss of routine
Pressure of home schooling or remote
learning
Loss of motivation
Loss of hope for the future
No/ very less interaction with other children and outside world

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IMPACT OF ONLINE LEARNING ON

MENTAL HEALTH

Online learning affects everyone from young children to young

adults, teachers, and professors. For many students, virtual classes
may worsen existing mental health challenges. For others, the
impact of the pandemic and online learning can trigger new
changes in mental health and mood.

Teachers and professors are feeling the huge stress of shifting their
classes into effective digital forms. With additional workload and
learning new technology for effective teaching, they are
overburdened with responsibilities leading to anxiety and burnout.
Apart from these, social isolation, increased stress and anxiety,
virtual learning fatigue (zoom fatigue) are some of the negative
impacts of online learning on mental health.

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UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL IMPACT

OF COVID-19
The social distance and the security measures have impacted the
relationship among people and their perception of empathy toward
others.

Pandemic has impacted different people in different ways. For some

it is experiencing separation from their loved ones and for others it
might be loss of freedom, uncertainty about the advancement of
the disease, and the feeling of helplessness.

Social interaction has been widely connected with psychological

well-being, social opportunities and employment; thereby restriction
of these measures are suggested to be profoundly distressing to
those experiencing strict isolation.

The COVID-19 has impacted all segments of the population and is

particularly detrimental to members of those social groups in the
most vulnerable situations like older persons, persons with
disabilities, youth, children and indigenous peoples.

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IDENTIFYING WHAT ALL HAS CHANGED

AROUND YOU

Greetings: During the pre-corona days, greetings were

in the form of handshakes, high fives, and hugs but
now greetings are mostly verbal and one can certainly
feel the lack of physical contact with their loved ones.

Work Culture: Working from home is one of the most

significant changes we've seen. Even for students,
online classes have begun. Meetings and lectures
are now done through video calls. Many people now
miss the old days of getting ready, travelling, coffee
shops, and office space.

Shopping: Shopping earlier would be fun as you

picked your favorites from the store. You would shop
for clothes, shoes, groceries, and more. Now, most
people just shop for essentials and food, and they
do so online.

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Meeting Friends: Instead of meeting up with friends

in cafes and restaurants, we now meet up with them
via video calls.

Daily Conversations: Covid has dominated all types

of conversations for the past year, whether with
relatives, friends, acquaintances, or coworkers. Many
such conversations reflect our fear, anxiety,
paranoia, grief, anger. We must accept and
recognise how our daily conversations have
changed.

Social media content and its consumption: Media

plays a crucial role in spreading important
information during times of collective trauma events
but numerous studies have suggested that disaster
media exposure may evoke poor mental health
outcomes. Today, social media plays an important
role because it not only disseminates information
but also allows for the exchange of personal
experiences, as well as ensuring connectivity and
help. However, good news that can make you feel
happy or optimistic is difficult to find on social media,
and even five minutes of scrolling through Facebook
and Twitter can make one anxious.

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WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT

1. Feel free to feel your feelings: Experiencing stress, anxiety and the
feelings associated with it are by no means a sign of weakness or a
reflection on your ability to do your job. We need to accept these
feelings, denial might increase the problem.

2. Take breaks from the news and social media: Between the news
and social media, we’re all feeling saturated by coronavirus updates
right now. It’s important to stay informed, but try to limit your media
intake to a couple of times a day and use trusted news sources.

3. Recognize that your anxiety is completely normal: If lockdown

extension and worrying headlines are making you feel anxious,
you are not the only one. Actually, that is how you should be feeling.
This helps you to make right decisions for yourself and others
around you.

4. Finding a distraction: It is important to find a distraction that can

be doing homework, watching favourite movies or reading books,
as it makes easier to find a balance in everyday life. If possible,
take things at your own pace – but try to do something different each
day or every couple of days.

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5. Know your red flags: Learning about developing symptoms, or early

warning signs, and taking action can help. Early intervention will help
the person. Common warning signs of deteriorating mental health can
be long-lasting sadness or irritability, excessive fear, worry, or anxiety
and change in sleep habits.

6. Routine is your friend: Routine helps to manage anxiety, and will

help you to adapt more quickly to the current situation. Create clear
distinctions between work and non-work time and find something to
distract you. Having an action plan for managing things you might
find difficult can help.

7. Manage your stress threshold: Manage uncertainty by staying in

the present, take each day as it comes and focus on the things you
can control. Mindfulness and meditation can be great tools. Put into
practice strategies that have worked for you in the past during times of
stress.

8. Find new ways to connect with friends: We all need some sense of
connection to others for our mental well being. Many working groups
have created virtual forums where you can contribute or just sit back
and enjoy the chatter. We are in social isolation, but we need not feel
alone. Reach out to those who might be particularly isolated.

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9. Be kind to yourself and others:

Being kind to yourself and others is
more important than ever during this
pandemic, this will make you feel
happier.

Try doing

Whatever way makes YOU feel good, it can be workout, yoga,

meditation, music, dance, reading or baking anything.

Give yourself a rest with a good night’s sleep.

Nourish your body and brain by eating a balanced diet.

Watch or read something uplifting.

Try to put less stress and pressure on yourself.

10. If you are struggling to cope and if stress

gets in the way of your daily activities for
several days in a row, it is recommended
that you should seek professional help and
therapy. Sometimes, it can be a significant
step toward the path of self-care and the
sooner you seek help, the faster you can
get back on track.

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CONCLUSION
We need to understand that it is only natural to feel stress, anxiety,
grief, and worry during the current pandemic situation. Everybody
is facing uncertainty and challenge – and we have no choice but
to move through it as best we can with our own coping mechanisms.

During times of social distancing, it is especially important to stay

connected and support each other. It is important to talk to people
you trust. Taking care of yourself can better equip you to take care
of your loved ones.

“Your mental health is a priority. Your happiness is

essential. Your self-care is a necessity.”

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