Can Staying At Home for Long Alter our Mental Health?

Staying or feeling up being locked up in your home may make you feel bored, frustrated or lonely. Being worried or anxious, or concerned about your finances or your health is completely fine but not letting it get to your mind is important! 

Social distancing can make you feel demotivated and may take away the enthusiasm to perform basic regular activities or household chores but making yourself look at the situation in a more positive way would rather help you. 

It’s important to remember that it is okay to feel this way and that everyone reacts differently but understand that the situation otherwise is the same for everyone and it is for our own safety. Keep in mind that this situation is temporary and these difficult times will pass. Staying at home may be difficult, but you are helping to protect yourself and others by doing it.

Self-isolation might just be the right time to start something new or pursue that passion or hobby you always wanted to. Here are a few points to keep yourself busy and to keep negative thoughts at a bay during this quarantine season:

• Stay connected with others

You may find the situation of staying alone a bit difficult. Staying in touch could help especially elderly population. Don’t isolate yourself emotionally. Maintain healthy relationships with people you trust and it is important for your mental wellbeing. Connecting with old friends is more than fun. Stay in touch with friends and family while you are all staying at home – by phone, messaging, video calls or social media.

• Look after yourself

Our physical health leaves a big impact on how we feel. At times like these, you can easily fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse emotionally. Eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Avoid tobacco or drugs, and limit alcohol.

You can fix a time to carry out one form of exercise a day- alone or with members of your house, it could be a walk, run or bike ride. Keep it limited to your house balcony, verandah or backyard. But maintain a safe 2-metre distance from others. Home workouts are a good option.

• Acknowledge your own feelings

Keeping yourself over busy and avoiding people around you to not feel scared about the situation won’t help. Social distancing and working from home can be a dreadful experience, only if you let it turn into one. Don’t forget this is the time you’ve been looking for. This time could offer you the space and opportunity to focus on yourself. To learn more about your interests, to explore and experiment on yourself and to understand how you behave and react to certain circumstances.

• Do not stay glued to the news

Keep a limit on the time you spend watching, reading or listening to coverage of the outbreak. This includes limited access to social media, and turn off breaking-news alerts on your phone.

You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or to watch news and limit yourself to checking a couple of times a day.

Use trustworthy sources like the government’s website and fact-check information from the news, social media or other people. Don’t forward wrong or false information or something that you suspect and might not be sure of. This will only create panic and unnecessary stress.

Over to you

Follow tips and advice given by your government and local health care providers as these are the things you can do now to help you keep on top of your mental wellbeing and cope with how you may feel while staying at home. Make sure you support others and stay positive in these times of distress. In serious cases, you can seek emotional help from therapists.