Managing Mental Health During a Pandemic
Chances are if you are reading this, you have been impacted by COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. Over the past few months, the outbreak has tragically impacted communities around the world, and the United States continues to face collective uncertainty about the future. With health workers battling on the front lines, limited medical supplies, and mixed messages from the media, it is an understatement to say that we are living in unprecedented times.
As a mental health advocate and wellness practitioner, I can only help but consider the critical effects of COVID-19 on our mental health. To explore this further, I asked licensed therapists about their thoughts on the pandemic, what we should all keep in mind, and how to take care of our mental health while adjusting to the “new normal.”
Practice self-compassion.
Brooke Novick, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in New York City, reminds us to be patient with ourselves as we navigate the pandemic in our own way. “Spend time with and be present with your heart,” says Novick. “Practice being compassionate and loving to yourself.” Whether that means baking loaves of banana bread, having a good cry, or both simultaneously, now is an important time to give ourselves the space we need to process what is happening.
Be mindful of your emotions and how you are coping.
As a clinician, Novick often works with individuals struggling with anxiety and disordered eating. She mentions how the pandemic can activate difficult emotions that can lead us to resort to harmful patterns. “This experience is bringing all of our core wounds to the surface,” Novick says. “It can be an opportunity to acknowledge, work with, and heal pain, patterns, or habits that have been asking for love and attention for so long.”
Lauren Cook, a therapist at Pepperdine University and author of Name Your Story: How to Talk Openly About Mental Health, says that speaking with a professional about these behaviors can help. She says, “Many of us find that we are engaging in harmful behaviors, and therapy helps us identify and understand how our thoughts and emotions got us to a place where we are expressing our pain behaviorally.”
Tap into community support.
Now more than ever, we can lean into the power of community for healing. “You are not here to do this work alone,” says Novick, who encourages others to connect with friends and loved ones if they are in need of support. “Being human requires love, guidance, and support of others. Reach out for help and trust your process, however uncomfortable and confusing it may seem right now.”
Consider virtual mental health services.
Given the current stay-at-home orders, it may not be possible to see a therapist in person quite yet. If you could use some support right now, you may consider teletherapy or a free resource like Crisis Text Line, which provides confidential, 24/7 support for folks in the US, UK, and Canada. You may also consider a virtual support group like the one at Body Politic NYC, which supports folks who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, have tested positive, or are survivors of the virus.
Cultivate a personal self-care practice.
Not crazy about Zoom workouts? No problem. “Practice self-care in ways that resonate for you,” says Novick, who uses creative healing modalities in her work with clients. To feel more centered and inspired during quarantine, Novick recommends activities like journaling, meditation, and engaging your creativity through music, art, and movement. “Drink plenty of water, practice sleep hygiene, and connect with loved ones,” Novick says, “and allow whatever feelings are surfacing to be felt.”
You may also create a self-care toolkit, a combination of nourishing go-to activities for when you’re feeling down. Bonus points if your toolkit enables you to have a sensory experience; add a scented candle, relaxing playlist, or weighted blanket to help you feel calm and grounded.
Know that there is no right or wrong way to feel.
If you’re one of the millions of people impacted by the coronavirus, you may be experiencing waves of new emotions every day: fear, worry, resentment, confusion, loss, grief, or a combination of everything. Some days may be a struggle, and other days you may feel hopeful and grateful for your health, ability, or access to healthcare.
Aaron Moore, LPC of Solace Counseling in Orlando, Florida reminds us that there is no right or wrong way to feel during this time, and that we can honor our experiences even when they feel conflicting. “We can be thankful and grieving and in despair at the exact same time,” Moore says.
In a recent interview with the mental health organization To Write Love On Her Arms, Moore goes on to say: “Despair does not mean we’re not thankful, and does not mean we’re not showing gratitude. We can show gratitude and have a ton of thankfulness for the things we have and the things we’ve been given, and still give ourselves the freedom and the self-compassion to honor the pain that we’re in.”
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If you are struggling to stay positive right now, you are not alone. Our world is experiencing a collective trauma, and it is more than okay to take time to grieve and process. As many of us continue to face the unknown, I asked therapists to share some final words of support for anyone in need of some hope.
“Know your resilience!” says Cook, who writes about enhancing well-being in her book, The Sunny Side Up: Cultivating Happiness. “You are stronger than you realize.”
“Remember that you are inherently beautiful and worthy,” says Novick, who encourages folks to acknowledge what may need to be healed during this time. “Honor your experience, give so much love and compassion to yourself, and get support if you need it right now.”
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Tianna Soto is a musician, writer, and wellness educator living in NYC. Check out her work at tiannafaye.com and follow along on Instagram at @tiannafayee for adventures in travel, yoga, and the performing arts.
Caroline Reedy is a Brooklyn based digital artist, who has been mixing comedy with pastel colors since 2016. Her work is mainly inspired by pop art portraiture, mental health advocacy, and internet culture. She has had her work featured on Overheard New York/LA, Link NYC, and Hello Tittie. Check out her work on her instagram @doot_doodles.
