We’re naturally social creatures, so when we can’t socialize, the effects can be severe. Even for the introverts among us, being apart for extended periods of time can be a challenge. If you’re experiencing a heightened state of stress and anxiety, you’re not alone. More people feel isolated and lonely in today’s world and this can in turn, intensify your experience with stress further. The good news is that you can utilize techniques to start feeling more comfortable to adjust.
As someone invested in the wellness of others, I believe it’s important to cultivate an understanding of the psychological impact of measures that cause isolation. Let’s discover the means of maintaining your mental health as you navigate through unexpected lifestyle changes and grapple with new sources of stress.
Don’t let isolation get you down
Fear and anxiety brought on by isolation can be overwhelming. How you respond to stress depends on many factors, such as your background, your social support, your financial situation, your health and emotional background, the community you live in, and more.
When things are not within your usual control, it’s common to feel some extra stress, which can result in symptoms like:
- Fear and anxiety about your health and the health of your loved ones, your financial situation, or loss of support you rely on
- Changes in sleep or eating patterns
- Worsening of chronic or mental health conditions
- Increased substance abuse, such as tobacco or alcohol
If you find yourself in a situation where you’re distanced from your social circle, know that there are effective techniques you can use to take care of yourself and your mental health. It’s important to stay connected and find fun ways to engage with loved ones and engage in self-care techniques to reduce stress.
Get creative, stay connected
One of the most beneficial steps we can take is to stay connected to loved ones. Luckily, we live in a time where this is almost always possible. Thanks to today’s technology, we can connect with others immediately, to reduce the feelings of social isolation.
As social creatures, humans rely on social connections, which means that staying in touch with a social circle is crucial to our health and well being. Here are some different ways people have been staying connected virtually:
- Miss your weekly catch-up with friends? Schedule a Zoom call and host a virtual happy hour.
- Miss your coworkers? Hop on a video chat or phone call while you sip on your morning coffee to fill each other in as you usually would at your desk.
- Missing music? Attend a virtual concert. Check out this online concert venue: https://www.stageit.com/
- Avid book reader? Literature lovers can consider joining an online book club: https://onlinebookclub.org/
- Learn a new language. Instantly practice languages with people around the world at https://www.speaky.com/ or the Tandem app at https://www.tandem.net/
Get creative and find new ways to have fun with loved ones!
Practice staying positive
One problem that can arise from isolation is negative thinking; the good news is that it’s possible to change your mindset.
For example, rather than thinking you’re ‘stuck’ at home, remind yourself that you’re ‘secure’ at home. This small tweak in your thoughts shifts the mental framing of your words and can significantly impact your mood and overall outlook.
Here are some other techniques you can use to change your mindset:
- Change your negative self-talk to an empowerment speech. The conversations you have with yourself are a direct reflection of your mindset, so take note of your thoughts. Are they negative or positive? When you catch negative thoughts, take a moment to rephrase them in a positive way. Over time, this will happen naturally.
- Create new habits to support your mindset change. Integrate powerful practices into your day that help your mindset change and reinforce your thinking with action.
- Start a gratitude journal. Spend a few minutes each day writing down things for which you are grateful. This will reinforce a positive mindset and give you a boost when you’re feeling low.
- Many people find that meditation helps influence positive thinking. There are many different types of meditation, such as guided meditation, visualization, transcendental, and others. Find one that works for you and practice daily to improve your mindset.
A step toward a healthier you
Diet, sleep, and exercise all play critical roles in our physical AND mental health.
However, figuring out how to get the food, rest, and movement we need can be overwhelming, especially when it feels like we’re constantly given contradictory information, so let’s discuss the basics.
A healthy diet is one that is balanced but not too restrictive. The easiest way to get a balanced diet is by eating a wide variety of foods. The more colorful your meal, the higher your chances are of getting a variety of nutrients. Also, switch up the foods and meals you eat regularly.
Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast, like oatmeal with fresh berries. Continue getting fiber throughout the day by incorporating veggies into every meal and snack.
Avoid eating processed or prepackaged foods that are typically high in unhealthy fat and sodium and lack nutrients.
Activity is always a recommendation for a healthy lifestyle. Even if you can’t get to your regular fitness class, there are plenty of ways to incorporate movement from home. From apps to online videos and virtual classes, now is the time to discover how technology can keep you moving. At the very least, spend some time walking around your neighborhood to get out in nature.
Sleep can be hard to come by when you’re stressed. Adults typically need 8 hours a night. If you’re having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, try creating a calming nighttime routine to help signal your body it’s time for rest. Some healthy nighttime habits include reading a book, chatting with a friend, taking a warm bath, or journaling.
Take a break from tech
I know it’s hard, but sometimes we must unplug and put down the technology.
Technology is fantastic and offers so many opportunities to keep us informed, entertained, and connected to one another, which is vital to our mental health.
However, technology also gives us constant access to news and notifications. During times of cultural turmoil, the more you read, the more severe a situation may seem. If your anxiety increases or your emotions heat up every time you hear about a certain news topic, remove yourself from it. Turn off your push notifications or put your phone in ‘do not disturb’ mode and give yourself a set amount of time to read the news or be notification-free. This might mean allowing yourself to scroll through the news at lunch or limiting yourself to one article a day.
Next, find a hobby. As a society, we’re already suffering from sedentary-related diseases, and even though there’s endless content to stream into our living rooms, television can only provide so much stimulation. Try a new craft project, explore new activities, or dive into your kitchen pantry and brush up on your cooking skills. Many people have picked up gardening, sourdough making, and many other fun hobbies. Whether you have a long-forgotten hobby you use to enjoy or are interested in learning something new, now is a perfect time!
There are tons of online resources to help you learn a new skill.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to play an instrument, or you use to enjoy painting, but your busy schedule got in the way. Perhaps you’re curious about learning that new viral dance that your nieces are always practicing. No matter what it is, find a hobby you enjoy and perfect your skill!
How’s your emotional health?
Overall health includes physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual aspects. Emotional health is defined as a person’s ability to accept and manage feelings through challenge and change.
It’s how well you cope with these ups and downs that matters. Some useful books on the topic of emotional health include:
- Emotional Agility by Susan David
- Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson
- Flourish by Martin Seligman
Tips for improving emotional health:
- Practice forgiveness
- Cultivate kindness
- Learn and grow from your mistakes
- Practice mindfulness
- Improve self-awareness
Stay calm and carry on
It’s important to remember to allow for downtime. If you are now home more hours of the day and on weekends, have you given yourself the task of finally getting to all these household projects that have been put on hold?
While this is a great way to stay busy, it can also lead to feeling overwhelmed. Learn to accept the fact that your “to-do” list will always be growing, and you’ll never tackle the whole thing, so make time to take a break, relax, and unwind.
Learn to relax your body by doing things that help you feel calm. Calming activities can include reading a novel, taking a hot bath, starting a breathing practice, meditating, stretching, praying, going for nature walks, practicing yoga, or Tai Chi. Any activity that brings you joy and is not on your to-do-list can help relieve tension.
To help reduce stress and increase mental health, aim for 30 minutes of relaxation time every day.
At home with young ones
If you have young ones at home, you may have noticed they are also facing their own struggles. Teens are especially hit hard as their identity depends so much on their friends and social circles.
Luckily, technology is available to help them stay connected to their network of friends. However, there are things you can do to help them foster self-care and promote good mental health.
Techniques such as positive self-talk, having a positive mindset, eating healthy, and physical activity can help kids and teens too.
The need for healthy relationships with friends and family is crucial for our youngsters. Try to spend quality time together as a family each day. While everyone may be in the home, that doesn’t mean each moment is spent connecting.
Pick a time when everyone can be fully present. This may be around the dinner table or during an evening walk. Encourage to use this time to take a break from technology and engage in conversation.
In difficult situations, help teach your children how to relax when they feel upset. Deep breathing, taking some alone time, or doing something calming can help them assess their emotions. Also, take some time to talk about possible solutions or ideas to improve a situation and how to make it happen without taking over.
Always remember to listen and be respectful of your child’s feelings. Keep communication and conversation flowing by asking questions.
Helping others in the household will help alleviate your stress and enable you to take care of yourself as well. Remember, kids will take their cues from you. If you remain calm and practice self-care during difficult times, they will too.
Stay strong!
Remember that there are plenty of resources available to help when you are struggling with undue stress. If you need to talk with someone, you can always call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or message me directly.
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