10/04/2020
The outbreak of Covid-19, back in December 2019, has forced many countries in to implementing a lockdown. People around the globe are engaging in Social Distancing as a way to help in “Flattening the Curve”.
Quarantine requires isolating oneself from interacting with other beings. No matter how short or long your time is in Quarantine, mental health should be taken care of during this period. Quarantine can affect your mental health severely since it takes away the three most important things. First being, your right of Self-governance. Second being, the ability to do something efficiently and the third being, the feeling of connectedness. This can lead you to believe that you have no control over the situation and that you are cut off from the rest of the world, which might affect your duty of performing usual tasks. This prospect can be scary. Time might seem to slow down and even being with family may increase the cabin fever.
According to the American Psychological Association, isolation can lead to several Health risks such as poor sleep, poor cardiovascular health, lower immunity, depressive symptoms, and impaired executive function. When executive function skills are impaired, you may find it more difficult to focus, manage your emotions, remember information, and follow directions.
While each circumstance is unique, taking up certain measures can help ease the effects, isolation has on your mental health.
Following are the steps which can help mitigate some of the negative mental health effects of quarantine.
1. Establish a routine
2. Be as active as possible
3. Workout at home
4. Communicate
5. Limit your media intake
When you are feeling frustrated and all cooped up, just remember why you are doing this. You minimize the chance that you might unknowingly spread the illness to other people, even if you are currently asymptomatic.
By doing your part to prevent the spread of the disease, you are protecting others and making sure that those who are sick are able to have greater access to available health resources. Reminding yourself of these reasons can sometimes make your days in quarantine a little easier to bear.
