It’s wonderful that you have the foresight and self-awareness to want to maintain your mental health progress during these uncertain times. You are certainly not alone in feeling unsettled by all that is going on, but your proactive approach bodes well for your ability to cope.
To avoid falling into old habits, I recommend making sure that you have healthy routines in place that will keep you interacting with others and attending to your mood. Socially, you can be intentional about connecting with friends and loved ones through phone calls, texting, video chats, and email. You can also encourage others to check in with you if they haven’t heard from you in a little while.
Another healthy routine would be to schedule time every day to get some form of exercise. Exercise is a natural mood booster, and even if you are not able to leave your home, you can find cardio exercise or yoga routines online that will provide you with some relief.
Meditation is also something that you may want to schedule during your day. Shine has a variety of meditations available in the corona virus toolkit, that will also be useful for managing stress and anxiety that you may be experiencing. Even 5 minutes of deep breathing can have a big impact on how you feel.
Take care of yourself and be intentional about keeping to your routines. However, if you do find yourself falling back into depression, please make sure to seek out professional help.
Dr. Patricia Thompson
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