Mid-March marked the start of many shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders for many states around the country in response to COVID19, meaning that we’ve now been living with the effects of a global pandemic for over half of a year. Although it will likely take years to gather enough data to really understand the long term effects of this virus, there is no doubt that it has changed our way of life. The focus has largely been on our physical health and safety, but our mental health has certainly been impacted as well. In October we also celebrate World Mental Health Day, a campaign designed to raise awareness around mental health issues and mobilize support around the world. The combination of these two things leads us to ask the question: how are you really doing? We wanted to give you a resource to use to evaluate this question and the status of your mental health in this season.
We’ve divided our check-in into different components of what makes up our mental health to remind you that mental health is broader than just how we’re feeling and is largely impacted by the pace and rhythms of our life. We hope you use this check-in to evaluate where you are and give you ideas for how to better care for yourself, not to make yourself feel guilty for what you are or are not doing.
Physical Health
Mental and physical health cannot be separated. Our mental health is greatly impacted by the way we use and care for our bodies. We need to move and rest our bodies to feel our best mentally. We need to fuel our bodies with food and water that meets our nutritional needs and helps us feel our best, especially when we crave comfort or convenience. Use these questions to evaluate how you are caring for yourself lately:
- Are you sleeping approximately 7+ hours each day? Are your sleep patterns regular?
- Are you consuming enough water? Are you eating healthy foods?
- Are you spending time moving your body each day?
- Are you making time to go outside?
Social Circles
Depending on your personality and stage of life, we all have different social needs and capacities, but every human needs connection with others to thrive. During a time when many of our interactions are digital and our freedom and safety in seeing others is constricted, it is important to evaluate how and if we are intentionally seeking meaningful social connection despite limitations. It is important to consider what your social needs are and what kinds of interactions and with who leaves you feeling encouraged or filled. Here are some questions to get you thinking:
- Are you connecting with others simply for the sake of leisure?
- Are you able to identify 2 people in your life that make you feel most grounded and encouraged?
- Are you communicating with them regularly?
- Are there virtual ways of connecting that leave you feeling more connected than others? (Facetime, phone calls, zoom calls, texts, etc.) How can you be intentional about using this method to communicate more often?
Self-Care
The demands on our time and energy may have shifted during this pandemic, but there are likely many people and things that need your attention. Caring for yourself can be one of the first things you give up, especially when you are a parent or a caregiver to someone else. In this season, it’s important to remember that self-care is not selfish and that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Here are some questions to evaluate your self-care habits:
- Are you able to identify examples of ways you’ve cared for yourself lately?
- Are you aware of what is bringing you relaxation and comfort in this season?
- Are you seeking quality leisure or settling for “numbing” yourself with technology?
- Are you engaging in something that feels like play? (Especially screen free play!)
Emotional Health
We often think about our emotions when we consider the status of our mental health, but how often are we too busy to stop long enough to consider how we’re feeling lately? Caring for your mental health often requires you to address less pleasant feelings such as anger, disappointment, sadness or loss as well as intentionally focusing on what is bringing you joy lately. Here are some questions to help you think through your emotional health:
- Are you taking time to process how you are feeling today? This week? This month?
- Are you talking to anyone on days when you feel down or overwhelmed?
- Are you reflecting on what you have lost during COVID? What you have gained?
- Could you benefit from talking to a professional as you navigate COVID life?
It’s important to remind yourself that you have never navigated through a global pandemic before. Therefore, there needs to be more grace and room for trial and error as we continue to figure out what works for us in this season. What you used to do before COVID to care for your mental health may not work anymore or you may not be able to practice it in the same way, and that’s okay. Caring for your mental health is not a one-size-fits-all program, but rather requires self-awareness to acknowledge what really helps you to feel your best and to identify what you need in changing circumstances.
Maybe you’ve engaged in counseling before and this could be a good time to return, or maybe you’ve never considered counseling but COVID life has surfaced a greater level of stress, anxiety, depression or tension in your home or job and you realize that it could be time to let someone help you carry the load. Whatever your situation is, we’d love to come alongside you and help you to care for your mental health as you shoulder whatever burdens and joys life has thrown your way lately.
Please call us at (443) 574-4295 if you would like to schedule your first appointment with one of our talented and compassionate counselors today!