The current climate of the world can be tricky to navigate when you are dealing with depression, anxiety, or OCD. Constant news updates are flooding in, which can evoke many troubling emotions, and the social isolation that comes along with it can make several symptoms worsen. Even those who don’t battle anxiety or depression on a regular basis can find themselves feeling panicked during times of global chaos. Self-isolation tends to lead to a decline in mood and increase in anxiety for many people, but there are several ways to cope with this. Implementing these methods will assist you in getting through this troubling time.
Start by thinking about what keeps you grounded and makes you happy. Various activities can be completed from home, such as reading your favorite book or painting. If you have any skills you were attempting to learn, try to master it. Working on hobbies that bring you joy can help you feel centered and productive. It also can be a positive distraction from the constant anxiety you might be facing.
A hugely important step for coping with social isolation is to create a structure and develop a sense of normality. Wake up at a certain time every day. Make sure to eat your meals, exercise, and shower. If you give your body a schedule, it will allow your mind to feel less anxious due to the fact that you have a routine. The situation will feel less unfamiliar and dreary if you allow yourself to continue living your life, and creating a structure for yourself is key.
Exercising is particularly important. Whether you are a regular gym-goer, someone who does home-fitness, or whether working out is foreign to you, getting your body moving is a great way to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. In addition to standard crunches, pacing up and down stairs in your home, and using canned foods as weights for bicep curls and overhead presses, here are a couple videos by @missteviefit that you can follow for outdoor or at-home exercises with little to no gym equipment.
Outdoor Workout: https://www.instagram.com/p/BoxHCr9lSG4/?igshid=1etwht371ss0o
In-Home Exercises: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9xThMIAICC/?igshid=1hw2aw6ymbk5q
Keeping in contact with friends and loved ones is important in curbing anxiety and depression symptoms. Phone calls and video chats are resources that should be utilized if you are feeling lonely. Reach out to your friends and family and check what their availability is like. When you are conversing with loved ones, try to remember that keeping your mind off topics that bring both parties distress is beneficial for everyone involved. Things may feel incredibly abnormal, but bringing a sense of normalcy can brighten everyone's mood. Even if you are not feeling any particular desire to socialize, reach out to those you think many need that human interaction to keep going.
Limiting media exposure can be vital in the current climate of the world. Social media and the news are a compilation of anxiety-provoking headlines, and reading them is not beneficial for anyone’s mental health. Staying informed is important, but monitor your own mental state and be aware of how much you can take. There’s nothing wrong with knowing your limits and looking after your own moods.
Prayer and/or meditation can also be helpful tools for anxiety and stress reduction. Whether prayer and meditation are common practice for you, or you are entering uncharted territory, try to find some quiet time to be in the present moment, breathe calmly (breathe in through your nose and out through pursed lips, as if you a smelling a plate of hot, freshly baked cookies, and then you are cooling them down with your breath; count your breaths and try to make your exhale last 1 second longer than your inhale), and ask for guidance toward comfort and inner-peace.
Having anxiety, depression, or OCD when the world seems like such a dreary place can be difficult and can cause many symptoms for flare up. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you have worked to better yourself and haven’t experienced the symptoms in a while. The skills provided can help boost your mood and ease anxiety in this difficult time. Remember that regardless of situation, mental health is a journey. Ups and downs may happen, but coping skills are incredibly useful to ease your mind.