Covid-19 Pandemic And Mental Wellness

Introduction

With the COVID-19 pandemic being in play and the government imposed lockdown, there to contain the former, everyone is entering a severe state of fear and paranoia, paramount by the day. It has become increasingly difficult for nearly everyone to concentrate on whatever they are doing or should be doing, to say the least, become of the chaotic crisis we all are stuck in.

Amidst this madness, one’s major concern remains their physical survival and well-being while mental well-being goes out of the window. It may sound like a bit much but mental wellness is as important as physical wellness no matter what circumstance one is going through. If the body is a vessel, the mind is the controller of that vessel. If you concentrate just on your physical well-being, you are only cooking a healthy recipe for an out of control disaster.

This summer, let’s work on our mental wellness and gift ourselves the amazing boon of self-control and self-love! It may take some time to see the gross change in your entire persona but, trust us, keeping up with your mental health, will change your life for the better, for sure.

Taking Care of Yourself

We, at AstoCare, care for you and closely pay attention to all your needs. Because of the COVID-19 lockdown, it has been very difficult for most of us to navigate through our lives as efficiently as we used to before. In order to restore your mental peace and balance, we have come up with a few TIPS FOR MENTAL CARE.

• Tips For Mental Care

It is highly essential for one to cleanse their thoughts and bring serenity to their mind and body. If you put junk food down your belly, you get sick. Similarly, if you put junk up inside your head, you will fall sick eventually. Taking care of your psyche has much more to do than just a couple of deep breaths and a thought of the day. Here is what may come handy:

1. You are not Superman: This lockdown may look like the kind of opportunity you have been seeking, for many years, for your own personal growth and development. In order to make the most of it, you tend to put too much pressure on yourself to succeed and meet all of your goals. And when you fail, you enter a state of dire stress and disappointment. Well, we must bring to your notice, a bitter truth, “You are not Superman.” No one is. It is not possible for you to do everything or even a lot of what you planned during this lockdown. It is a state of crisis and in some way, our minds cannot feel as comfortable as you want them to feel. AstoCare advises you not to set the targets too high and/or too many. Cut yourself some slack on these high expectations. It is the same with everyone. Just relax and stop putting so much food on your plate.

2. Be real and practical: In such a state of idleness, one may try and make miracles happen. You may even want to turn magically thin or grow some odd skill over the time you spend at home. There is nothing wrong with setting great goals but not being dedicated to what you believe in, will not make it happen automatically. You have to accept the realities and work according to them. Setting a goal is just the first step. Now you have to practically pick a way to get to that goal. Get serious and a bit more real than before. Being real, with all the facts in front of you, cuts out the fear of the unknown greatly.

3. Don’t push yourself too hard: This is a common blind spot for most of us. When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we tend to start running towards the things we don’t have instead of appreciating what we do. In this race of getting it all, we tend to push ourselves way too much. AstoCare does promote the notion of ‘pushing your own limits’, immensely. But “taking all the pills in a single day will only make you even more sickly than before”. In no case do we promote stressing yourself too much that it hampers your mental well-being? What you need to do is even out what you have in mind and do it bit by bit. Trying to accomplish everything will leave you with nothing at all.

4. Connect more: In these trying times, one must always focus on flattening the curve and socially distancing themselves to do it. But when we use the word, ‘Social Distance’, what we really mean is ‘Physical Distance’. Distancing should never be done emotionally. We are social beings and keeping our social ties is what keeps us radiant and joyful. The best way to deal with excess stress is to connect more and much better with family, friends, acquaintances, pets, plants and even ourselves. It is always better to have someone else add to the mix of colours in your mind’s pallet.

5. De-stress better: Just counting to ten sometimes may be a great stress buster too sometimes but relying on it every time may be a jump too far. You don’t have to go for a full-on yoga routine every time you are in a pickle. In order to de-stress like a pro, try:
   1. Meditating every morning/evening.
   2. Sipping to some green tea.
   3. Picking up a new positive book.
   4. Some light comedy shows.
   5. Gardening a bit.
   6. Cooking a little.
   7. Cleaning some dirty cupboard/closet/drawer.
   8. Feeding a stray.
   9. Talking to an old friend.
   10. Doing something you like a lot.
6. Don’t time travel: ‘Man’s worst enemy is he himself’.

One of the biggest obstacles we, as humans, the face is the constant need of evasion. Either this evasion is into the past, by the way of either nostalgia or remorse, or into the future, by the way of either fear or ambition. In no way do we stay where we are, right here in this present minute.

Running away from the present is the major cause of stress and anxiety, a majority of us face these days. A very simple way to deal with it is to close your eyes, take a deep breath and try to come back to this very minute now.

This way, you are neither drowning in regret nor in probable failure. You are here, without judgement, in a very safe space. This is where you are yourself, most productive and least stressful of all times. Stay as long as you like!

• Foods for Psyche

It is though, true, “We become what we eat.”

Food has a major impact on our persona as well as our personality. It alters our mood, our emotions and even our perceptions about many things. Food can do to you what even therapy may not be able to. In any case, you must always remember,

“One should never sacrifice one aspect in order to help another.”

One should not overeat in times of stress and/or joy. Trying to improve your mental well-being should not cost you your physical well being at all. It should always be remembered that

“Only a happy body can contain a happy soul.”

1. Bananas: These are one of the best fruits for mental wellness and are also known to be great mood busters because of their special qualities. Apart from being packed with nutrients, bananas also exhibit a potential to trigger a massive serotonin release in the body, post-consumption. Serotonin is our happy hormone and it helps regulate stress and anxiety effectively.

2. Kiwis: One of the greatest power fruits, Kiwi, is pretty famous for being massively rich in all kinds of exotic nutrients and benefits. Apart from this, they are also a naturally rich source of serotonin. Not only do they help initiate a happy response, they also add on to its battery power!
3. Walnuts: These are famous for being one of the richest plant sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are quite essential for not just brain health but also our mental well being. Recent studies suggest a lower rate of depression with a good consumption of walnuts. This brain food does not stop giving benefits, now does it?
4. L.V.s: Green Leafy Veggies have been said to be an irreplaceable component of our diet. They are packed with essential vitamins and nutrients essential for the body’s growth and development. They also greatly help slow down cognitive decline and help us retain the brainly functions for longer. Other than the benefits they extend to our physique, they are also very good for our psyche.
5. Lentils: These are one of the richest sources of Vitamin B Folate which is renowned to be terrific for brain health. Munching on a bowl of lentil sprouts in the morning is a kind of pump which will not only keep you light and active throughout but also help your mind work faster and better! Why not give them a try today and see for yourself how wonderful a start this will be for your day!
6. Water: Whenever in stress, reach out for some water around you. It will always work like a charm! Not only does it protect your brain from dehydration but also soothes your body’s temperature. Water has been seen to reduce and sometimes even alleviate mental as well as emotional stress almost completely. Next time you are in a pickle, try sipping some water and see if that helps.

What to Stay Away from

On our spiritual journey for mental peace and wellness, we should never underestimate the consequences of any mistakes that we may undergo or obstacles we may overlook. After all, it is always

“Better to be safe than sorry.”

Try and be out of harm’s way, and surrounded by the lush gardens of spiritual harmony and soulfulness. Look out for these ends you ought not meet:

1. Rumours: These can severely deteriorate not only your mental peace but also your trust in media and even in mankind! Try to list out some good and well-trusted sources of true and fair information. Try and stay away from rumours as much as possible!
2. Alcohol: The worst kind of emotional triggers are those which pop up when you push them down using alcohol. In case you wish to renounce all sorrows with a glass of alcohol, you need be reminded how piteous and terrible you get once you reach the point of no control. Instead of dealing with mental and emotional stress, alcohol amplifies all your thoughts and makes the mess messier. Try avoiding alcohol for momentary pleasure because the lapse later is not a price worth the pain.
3. Tobacco: Just like alcohol, trying to submerge your problems in addictions like cigarettes and tobacco, is not a solution at all. Once the effect of these stimulants fade away, will your problems fade away too? No, right. What is the use of such a solution which does not solve the problem at all? Instead, it leaves many other problems while at it. AstoCare strongly advised against them.
4. Sugar: Even though it does not sound like a harmful stimulant, it does not mean excess sugar will not have consequences. Sugar gives great temporary support to mental stress and trauma but never gives any permanent solutions. Instead, it will have you addicted to it and after a point of time, any day without sugar becomes a sad day. Too much sugar is not good for anyone. AstoCare strongly advises against sugar abuse, especially when it comes as a relief to emotional stress and tension.
5. Caffeine: It is yet another getaway that helps suppress thoughts and emotions when they go out of proportions. Many people these days get completely wasted on caffeine, neglecting its side effects completely. Caffeine is a very strong drug and taking it for mental stress all the time is not a healthy or correct way of dealing with mental health issues. Please stay away from caffeine and caffeinated beverages.
6. Drugs: Drug abuse is a major problem these days. Young adults try to escape reality and their psyche entirely via consumption of drugs of various kinds. No drug, be it marijuana, heroin, ganja, bhang, etc, is ever good for your mental peace. Getting sick on the wrong drugs will not turn you into a healthy person back.

Conclusion

AstoCare, your partner in healthcare, cares for you and your well-being, be it physical or psychological. Standing emotionally resonant and mentally strong in these testing times of social distancing, will not only help us defeat this nasty COVID-19 but also help fight all the vices we hold within.

For any assistance, LIVE CHAT with us at AstoCare.com or write to us at hello@astocare.com.

We care for you.