HOW TO COPE WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC
Foster Staying connected
Yes, phone calls, messages, use computers and the post to stay in touch. Hearing a friendly, familiar voice, or reading a message from people we care about, helps us feel more connected. This is important for our mental health, especially for people living alone, who may be feeling lonely, isolated and afraid.
Not everyone feel
confident or comfortable with video technologies like Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp
video but, as with phone calls, seeing a friendly, familiar face can help both
sides feel more connected. But I believe this might be a time when younger people in our
families can help older relatives to use the internet, and some of the ways it
can let us stay connected with each other and the wider world.
You may want to reach out beyond the people we already know, to make new connections with other people. Online communities are said to be ideal for this and can be extremely supportive, although it’s worth remembering they are not always safe places.
There are a vast number of online communities out there and this might be a good time to find a few that appeal to you. You’ll find everything from general interest communities like Mumsnet to more specialist communities focused on, for instance, football, particular health conditions, fitness, politics, local areas, cookery, relationships and rock music.
Join teams in
supporting others
Health specialists say that getting involved in local efforts to support people who are more vulnerable during the pandemic is good for helpers, as well as those they’re supporting. Here is more about the inspiring effects of helping other people in our communities and beyond - and the joy of random acts of kindness.
Create some certainties
For those of us who live
with other people and who are feeling irritated or overwhelmed by constant
togetherness, it may help to agree who is going to use which parts of the home
- for instance during the day, when we may need to work and/or look after
children.
Make best use of the
physical space you have. This may be about planning your day, sharing or
alternating use of space, being aware of others’ needs or just doing things a
little differently. Similarly, it may help to share out household tasks such as
washing up, cleaning and food shopping. Having a daily routine may help us to
feel more in control, at a time when we have lost a lot of control over our
daily lives.
Going outside for daily
exercise may also help (so long as it is safe for you), as part of your routine
Exercise, including walking, is good for our mental health. So is contact with
nature, such as seeing trees and birds, or being in a park or near a lake or
river.
Keep talking and
listening
Also, helpful may be to
agree a time each day when everyone in our home can say how they are feeling -
for instance, it could be what we have found most difficult and what we are
grateful for that day.
Sharing feelings,
without fear of being criticized or told off, can help us feel calmer and
closer to each other. It may help to remember that everyone is affected by the
coronavirus situation and may be feeling more anxious and perhaps irritable
than usual.
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