Don’t forget your Mental Health

The world over, we are all experiencing various degrees of anxiety, stress, fear, loneliness, emptiness, depression, grief, and trauma.

There are some days that are just tougher than others. If you need a mental health day – take one. Read your favourite, watch your favourite movie (not the news), draw something, paint your nails, have a bubble bath at midday if that makes you feel more centred.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with the emotional effects of lockdown, please call The South African Depression & Anxiety Group (SADAG) on 0800 21 22 23, 0800 70 80 90 or 0800 456 789 or the Suicide Helpline 0800 567 567. They are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

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Tips

• Maintain a daily routine as much as possible – get up, get dressed, create a to-do list, etc.
• Read food labels – if there are more than 6 ingredients it is probably not very healthy.
• Make it a part of your daily routine to reach out to friends and family. Technology allows us to have dinner together every night.
• Prioritise. MUST (there is an imminent deadline), SHOULD (a little leeway time-wise), COULD (unimportant), WANT (can definitely wait).
• Recognise that lockdown is a stressful time and that the urge to eat outside of regular meal times is natural. “When we are stressed, stress hormones are released into the body and the fight-or-flight response is triggered,” explains Korb. “Our body thinks it’s in danger and needs fuel (food) to fight (or flee from) the danger. The body cannot differentiate between what is a real threat and a perceived threat.”