Index: 2023

^ introduction

^ self care strategies

^ TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

^ TAKE CARE OF YOUR MIND

^ IMAGES RELATED TO COVID-19

^ CONCLUSION
COVID-19 AND YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH

COVID-19 and your mental health

Worries and anxiety about COVID-19 and its impact can be overwhelming.
Learn ways to cope during this pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have brought many changes to how you live your life,
and with it, at times, uncertainty, altered daily routines, financial pressures and social
isolation. You may worry about getting sick, how long the pandemic will last, whether
your job will be affected and what the future will bring. Information overload, rumors
and misinformation can make your life feel out of control and make it unclear what to
do.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may experience stress, anxiety, fear, sadness
and loneliness. And mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, can
worsen.
Surveys show a major increase in the number of U.S. adults who report symptoms of
stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia during the pandemic, compared with
surveys before the pandemic. Some people have increased their use of alcohol or
drugs, thinking that can help them cope with their fears about the pandemic. In
reality, using these substances can worsen anxiety and depression.
People with substance use disorders, notably those addicted to tobacco or opioids,
are likely to have worse outcomes if they get COVID-19. That's because these
addictions can harm lung function and weaken the immune system, causing chronic
conditions such as heart disease and lung disease, which increase the risk of
serious complications from COVID-19.
For all of these reasons, it's important to learn self-care strategies and get the care
you need to help you cope.

Self-care strategies
Self-care strategies are good for your mental and physical health and can help you
take charge of your life. Take care of your body and your mind and connect with
others to benefit your mental health.

Take care of your body

Be mindful about your physical health:

• Get enough sleep. Go to bed and get up at the same times each day. Stick
close to your typical sleep-wake schedule, even if you're staying at home.
• Participate in regular physical activity. Regular physical activity and exercise
can help reduce anxiety and improve mood. Find an activity that includes
movement, such as dance or exercise apps. Get outside, such as a nature trail or
your own backyard.
• Eat healthy. Choose a well-balanced diet. Avoid loading up on junk food and
refined sugar. Limit caffeine as it can aggravate stress, anxiety and sleep
problems.
• Avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs. If you smoke tobacco or if you vape, you're
already at higher risk of lung disease. Because COVID-19 affects the lungs, your
risk increases even more. Using alcohol to try to cope can make matters worse
and reduce your coping skills. Avoid taking drugs to cope, unless your doctor
prescribed medications for you.
• Limit screen time. Turn off electronic devices for some time each day, including
30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Make a conscious effort to spend less time in
front of a screen — television, tablet, computer and phone.
• Relax and recharge. Set aside time for yourself. Even a few minutes of quiet
time can be refreshing and help to settle your mind and reduce anxiety. Many
people benefit from practices such as deep breathing, tai chi, yoga, mindfulness
or meditation. Soak in a bubble bath, listen to music, or read or listen to a book —
whatever helps you relax. Select a technique that works for you and practice it
regularly.
Take care of your mind
Reduce stress triggers:

• Keep your regular routine. Maintaining a regular daily schedule is important to

your mental health. In addition to sticking to a regular bedtime routine, keep
consistent times for meals, bathing and getting dressed, work or study schedules,
and exercise. Also set aside time for activities you enjoy. This predictability can
make you feel more in control.
• Limit exposure to news media. Constant news about COVID-19 from all types
of media can heighten fears about the disease. Limit social media that may
expose you to rumors and false information. Also limit reading, hearing or
watching other news, but keep up to date on national and local
recommendations. Look for reliable sources, such as the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization
(WHO).
• Stay busy. Healthy distractions can get you away from the cycle of negative
thoughts that feed anxiety and depression. Enjoy hobbies that you can do at
home, such as reading a book, writing in a journal, making a craft, playing games
or cooking a new meal. Or identify a new project or clean out that closet you
promised you'd get to. Doing something positive to manage anxiety is a healthy
coping strategy.
• Focus on positive thoughts. Choose to focus on the positive things in your life,
instead of dwelling on how bad you feel. Consider starting each day by listing
things you are thankful for. Maintain a sense of hope, work to accept changes as
they occur and try to keep problems in perspective.
• Use your moral compass or spiritual life for support. If you draw strength
from a belief system, it can bring you comfort during difficult and uncertain times.
• Set priorities. Don't become overwhelmed by creating a life-changing list of
things to achieve while you're home. Set reasonable goals each day and outline
steps you can take to reach those goals. Give yourself credit for every step in the
right direction, no matter how small. And recognize that some days will be better
than others.
Connect with others
Build support and strengthen relationships:
 • Make connections. If you work remotely from home or you need to isolate
yourself from others for a period of time due to COVID-19, avoid social
isolation. Find time each day to make virtual connections by email, texts,
phone or video chat. If you're working remotely from home, ask your co-
workers how they're doing and share coping tips. Enjoy virtual socializing
and talking to those in your home.
If you're not fully vaccinated, be creative and safe when connecting with
others in person, such as going for walks, chatting in the driveway and
other outdoor activities, or wearing a mask for indoor activities.
If you are fully vaccinated, you can more safely return to many indoor and
outdoor activities you may not have been able to do because of the
pandemic, such as gathering with friends and family. If you are in an area
with a high number of people with COVID-19 in the hospital,
the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public or outdoors in
crowded areas or in close contact with unvaccinated people. For
unvaccinated people, outdoor activities that allow plenty of space between
you and others pose a lower risk of spread of the COVID-19 virus than
indoor activities do.

• Do something for others. Find purpose in helping the people around you.
Helping others is an excellent way to help ourselves. For example, email, text or
call to check on your friends, family members and neighbors — especially those
who are older. If you know someone who can't get out, ask if there's something
needed, such as groceries or a prescription picked up.
• Support a family member or friend. If a family member or friend needs to be
quarantined at home or in the hospital due to COVID-19, come up with ways to
stay in contact. This could be through electronic devices or the telephone or by
sending a note to brighten the day, for example.
Avoid stigma and discrimination
Stigma can make people feel isolated and even abandoned. They may feel
depressed, hurt and angry when friends and others in their community avoid them
for fear of getting COVID-19.
Stigma harms people's health and well-being in many ways. Stigmatized groups may
often be deprived of the resources they need to care for themselves and their
families during a pandemic. And people who are worried about being stigmatized
may be less likely to get medical care.
People who have experienced stigma related to COVID-19 include people of Asian
descent, health care workers, people with COVID-19 and those released from
quarantine. People who are stigmatized may be excluded or shunned, treated
differently, denied job and educational opportunities, and be targets of verbal,
emotional and physical abuse.
You can reduce stigma by:

• Getting the facts about COVID-19 from reputable sources such as

the CDC and WHO
• Speaking up if you hear or see inaccurate statements about COVID-19 and
certain people or groups
 • Reaching out to people who feel stigmatized
• Showing support for health care workers
Recognize what's typical and what's not
Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life.
Everyone reacts differently to difficult situations, and it's normal to feel stress and
worry during a crisis. But multiple challenges, such as the effects of the COVID-
19 pandemic, can push you beyond your ability to cope.
Many people may have mental health concerns, such as symptoms of anxiety and
depression during this time. And feelings may change over time.
Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling helpless, sad, angry, irritable,
hopeless, anxious or afraid. You may have trouble concentrating on typical tasks,
changes in appetite, body aches and pains, or difficulty sleeping or you may struggle
to face routine chores.
When these signs and symptoms last for several days in a row, make you miserable
and cause problems in your daily life so that you find it hard to carry out normal
responsibilities, it's time to ask for help.

Get help when you need it

Hoping mental health problems such as anxiety or depression will go away on their
own can lead to worsening symptoms. If you have concerns or if you experience
worsening of mental health symptoms, ask for help when you need it, and be upfront
about how you're doing. To get help you may want to:

• Call or use social media to contact a close friend or loved one — even though it
may be hard to talk about your feelings.
• Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.
• Contact your employee assistance program, if your employer has one, and ask
for counseling or a referral to a mental health professional.
• Call your primary care professional or mental health professional to ask about
appointment options to talk about your anxiety or depression and get advice and
guidance. Some may provide the option of phone, video or online appointments.
• Contact organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), or the
Anxiety and Depression Association of America for help and guidance on
information and treatment options.
If you're feeling suicidal or thinking of hurting yourself, seek help. Contact your
primary care professional or a mental health professional. Or contact a suicide
hotline. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline,
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat. Services are
free and confidential.

Continue your self-care strategies

You can expect your current strong feelings to fade when the pandemic is over, but
stress won't disappear from your life when the health crisis of COVID-19 ends.
Continue these self-care practices to take care of your mental health and increase
your ability to cope with life's ongoing challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a profound impact on mental health
worldwide. In these challenging times, individuals have grappled with heightened
levels of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. The lockdowns, social isolation, and
disruptions to daily life have exacerbated feelings of loneliness and depression.
Frontline healthcare workers have faced immense emotional strain, while the
economic repercussions of the pandemic have caused financial stress for many.

Access to mental health services has become more critical than ever, yet the
demand has often outstripped the available resources. The pandemic has
highlighted the need for increased awareness and support for mental health
issues, with many organizations and individuals striving to reduce stigma and
provide assistance to those in need.

Amid these difficulties, people have also shown resilience and adaptability. They
have turned to virtual platforms for therapy and support groups, fostering
connections in new ways. The importance of self-care, mindfulness, and
maintaining a healthy work-life balance has gained recognition as essential tools
for maintaining mental well-being.
Symptoms
Symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may appear 2 to 14 days after
exposure. This time after exposure and before having symptoms is called the
incubation period. You can still spread COVID-19 before you have symptoms. This is
called presymptomatic transmission. Common symptoms can include:

• Fever.
• Cough.
• Tiredness.
Early symptoms of COVID-19 may include a loss of taste or smell.

Other symptoms may include:

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

• Muscle aches.
• Chills.
• Sore throat.
• Runny nose.
• Headache.
• Chest pain.
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis).
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Rash.
This list isn't complete. Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have
mild illness.

The severity of COVID-19 symptoms can range from very mild to severe. Some
people may have only a few symptoms. Some people may have no symptoms at all,
but can still spread it. This is called asymptomatic transmission.
In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to
mental health, but it has also underscored the importance of compassion,
support, and resilience. It has served as a reminder that taking care of our mental
health is as crucial as our physical health, and communities must continue to
work together to address these issues even after the pandemic subsides.

In extreme cases, people may suffer from depression characterized by low mood,
tiredness, pessimism, poor sleep, and appetite, feeling helpless, guilty, and hopeless,
with a gradual reduction in work output. Older people are more vulnerable, and special
care must be taken for them.