WHO Tweeted Tips To Look After Your Mental Health And Help Others Who May Need Extra Support

Mental health is essential to our overall well-being and as important as physical health. When we feel mentally well, we can work productively, enjoy our free time, and contribute actively to our communities.

The new realities of working from home, temporary unemployment, home-schooling of children, and lack of physical contact with other family members, friends, and colleagues take time to get used to. Adapting to lifestyle changes such as these, managing the fear of contracting the virus, and worrying about people close to us who are particularly vulnerable, are challenging for all of us. They can be particularly difficult for people with mental health conditions.

Here Are Some Tips To Look After Your Mental Health:

• Keep Informed-listen to advice and recommendations from your national and local authorities.
• Have a Routine
• Keep up with daily routines, or make new ones.
• Get up and go to bed at similar times every day.
• Keep up with personal hygiene.
• Eat healthy meals at regular times.
• Exercise regularly.
• Allocate time for working and time for resting.
• Make time for doing things you enjoy.
• Minimize Newsfeeds-try to reduce how much you watch, read or listen to news that makes you feel anxious or distressed. Seek the latest information at specific times of the day, once or twice a day if needed.
• Social Contact Is Important-if your movements are restricted, keep in regular contact with people close to you by telephone and online channels.
• Alcohol and Drug Use-limit the amount of alcohol you drink or don’t drink alcohol at all. Don’t start drinking alcohol if you have not drunk alcohol before. Avoid using alcohol and drugs as a way of dealing with fear, anxiety, boredom, and social isolation.
• Screen Time-be aware of how much time you spend in front of a screen every day. Make sure that you take regular breaks from on-screen activities.
• Video Games-while video games can be a way to relax, it can be tempting to spend much more time on them than usual when at home for long periods. Be sure to keep the right balance with offline activities in your daily routine.
• Social Media-use your social media accounts to promote positive and hopeful stories. Correct misinformation wherever you see it.
• Help Others-if you are able to, offer support to people in your community who may need it, such as helping them with food shopping.
• Support health workers-take opportunities online or through your community to thank your country’s healthcare workers and all those working to respond to COVID-19.

Over To You:
Fortunately, there are lots of things that we can do to look after our own mental health and to help others who may need some extra support and care. Follow these tips and look after your and others’ mental health.