5 Ways to Cope with Mental Illness During Covid-19
These times have been very trying on my mental health and have brought to life old feelings that I had thought, with therapy, I had conquered. With each day that has gone by, each of the demons that I felt were banished from my mind, have tip toed themselves to sit front and center as I work to regain my mental balance. I wanted to share 5 ways to cope with mental illness during Covid-19 that have proven, for me, to kick those demons back to where they belong, far from my life and my mind.
1. Create boundaries with your phone
In the isolation many of us find ourselves, our phone is all we have to stay connected to those we love. I will say that my phone can also be a hindrance to my peace of mind during this epidemic. Mindless scrolling during the day and taking my phone to bed where the scrolling continues, does not help me in any way to stay on top of the multitude of thoughts that descend on me once the lights go out.
I have created a boundary for myself in two ways with my phone. When I start to feel overwhelmed by what I read, I put my phone down and walk away. The second thing I do is have a bed time for my phone. I do not bring my phone to bed once I am starting to wind down for the night. Focusing on my mind’s ability to wind down without being overwhelmed by news of more people getting sick, or friends I know getting sick, helps me take deep breaths as my head hits the pillow, which brings me to number 2.
2. Stick to a Sleep Schedule I stick to a strict sleep schedule. With my mental illnesses, if I do not get the right amount of sleep at the right time I risk going manic. During my first episode, mania was a fun feeling, but after my second episode, which was a mixed episode, the feeling of going hypo manic is enough to make my skin crawl remembering the hell I lived through during that time. My anxiety, my PTSD and my Bipolar 1 are all exacerbated with lack of sleep. I can now say that thanks to having made that boundary and sticking with it, I have not endured the many episodes I might have had if not for sleep and medication.
3. Take your medication as prescribed Take medication on time. Do not power through a panic attack, or any other symptom. If you have a medication that is PRN (as needed) take it as prescribed. Now, in this time of world chaos and loss, we with mental illnesses must utilize every one of them properly.
Believe me, I know how hard it is to adhere to medications. For a long time after my second episode I HATED taking my medication. I hated knowing I would be taking them for the rest of my life. Now, I am so grateful for each pill that gives my brain what I was not born, so I can live a wonderful life just like everyone else. Now is not the time to take any risks with medications.
4. Exercise When the Covid-19 was first arriving in The United States, I walked daily. Now I ride my bike using an indoor stand. For the past 4 weeks I have been biking while the gym is closed. I know not everyone has a bike, or a stand, but with all the amazing free challenges on Instagram and Facebook happening, and the free YouTube exercise videos, it is possible, even as a beginner, to start to blow off some steam. Get creative! Exercising is possible by stretching, using canned veggies for weights, calisthenics, etc.
5. Arrange mental health appointments Communicating with your mental health professional, mentor, sponsor, etc. can be done effectively by phone, Skype, Zoom, etc. This Covid-19 crisis can cause PTSD. You may feel all the feelings that were once symptoms of your illness or before you got help and got on medication. For me, there is the feeling of being stuck, of something coming to get me, of something out to get me, of hiding and waiting for doom to pass. When Covid-19 started in this country, watching it spread and come towards me, arriving in my home town, I started having flash backs. I immediately set up appointments with my therapist for once a week and to check in with my psychiatrist 1-2 times a month. Now I trust that the professionals will be able to guide me to some sense of calm in all this.
Right now we have to live in the present, which feels absolutely impossible. Before I found help, the thoughts I had felt real, but they were just thoughts. I was told they were symptoms of my illness. There is something that is making people sick, ending people’s lives. I can’t do all I have been directed to do to stay sane because I am stuck inside. I am cut off from half of the habits I finally created to overcome my symptoms and stay ahead of it all.
This is where I have really focused on how to cope and not let my old demons come back to front and center. Finding what you can do to cope during this time will be your greatest asset. Be safe, wash your hands, use social distancing and stay home. We will get through this! We will survive and I hope that you can find some help from this blog post. Thank you for reading.
With Love and Light, Melissa
