As cases of Coronavirus increase, the prospect of further restrictions is increasing too. The lockdown earlier this year has taken its toll on the economy and Mental Health so how will we fair if another lockdown happens?

Looking after you

Our worlds are likely to shrink again and we will need to create new routines that allow us time to ourselves and prioritise our needs. Often we get downtime during our commute or during social activities which we might not be able to do.

You should think about your new routine and build in time for activities like exercising, walking, reading, watching films or TV and speaking to friends and family. These activities should be used to help you switch off and relax or gain some space from your work or family. This is important so that you get time to focus on something different and have some escapism from reality.

Turning off or restricting exposure to news and social media can assist so that you don’t become too consumed by what is happening as it can impact your anxiety or stress levels. It is especially important to only trust reputable sources of news to prevent rumour and speculation increasing anxiety.

Being aware of others

You should also reflect on those around you (or normally around you) such as family members, friends, neighbours or colleagues, and what they might be going through and if there is anything you can do to support them without putting too much pressure on yourself.

One way of doing this is picking up the phone to call them or using video calls rather than messages or emails as you all will benefit from the contact. Check whether they need help such as someone to talk to, advise or support with getting things like shopping or medication.

Also, create some light relief with quizzes or fun challenges that everyone involved would enjoy. Set up group chats so that it enables people to feel connected and part of a group again.

Acknowledge stress

It is important to acknowledge when things might be stressful and don’t underplay them. If you recognise when stress might occur you can put in place mechanisms to counteract the stress and help you to cope better.

Seeking help

If you or someone else is suffering from Mental health issues, you or they should seek support from a GP and try to talk to a trusted person about what is affecting them as talking can be a great medicine in itself.

There are many groups and organisations that can provide information and support which are available on the NHS website.

Mental and physical health are linked and trying to ensure you get enough exercise and sleep as well as a good balanced diet can also help.

As an organisation, if you want to help identify and tackle mental health we offer a range of First Aid for Mental Health courses.

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