We are so fortunate that we have the technology to be able to keep connected with our loved ones during this time of social isolation. However, we do still need to remember that over consumption of social media content, news, and screen time remains a negative influence on our mental health.
Socialising is key to our wellbeing. We are social creatures. Therefore, isolation is very hard for us to adjust to. We are also panicked and concerned about our loved ones. However, if (before all of this change) you limited your contact with people because of their negative influence on your mental health then please still be aware to do this. Be aware that if prior to isolation you didn’t speak to your friends daily. Then perhaps now isn’t the time to either?
“Keep connected, but not at the expense of your mental health”
Of course we want to stay connected, and we are worried. It is this combination that makes us ‘reactive’ we do what we think we ‘should’ not what necessarily feels right, or that is positive for our mental health. So I encourage you to just have a think about it. Is the social connections you are currently working so hard to keep, actually beneficial? Or is the amount of time and energy put into this draining you of your energy reserves for you to be able to cope in this extraordinary time?
Of course, I do not mean to ‘cut off’ from people. Unless you want to? What I mean is for you to just be aware of finding balance. You have enough to cope within your own ‘immediate bubble’. Adding a lot of extra to it is not going to be helpful to you in the long run. We are reminded by the government that this is not a ‘sprint’ it is a ‘marathon’. What we are putting in place now is not ‘emergency measures for a week’. We are putting in place our routines, and expectations of ourselves for the coming months.
“ This is a marathon not a sprint”
Mr Hancock
I have an example for you. Perhaps you have had the unfortunate experience of having a loved one ill in hospital, or a experienced a friend going through the loss of a loved one. Do you remember the intensity of support needed at the beginning, and how much that drained you? The daily messages and phone calls. The daily hospital visits and additional worry and ‘thinking time’. Which you did gladly because you care, and they needed it… and you knew it was not for the long term.
These acts means that you had less time, and energy to do your usual activities. You might find that during this ‘phase’ you had no time to stop (at all) coming home, and heading straight to bed… or not cooking and eating on the go with prepared foods picked up on route? I know that this has been my experience. This of course is only natural. It is our immediate response. However, this can only be sustained for a short amount of time. It then naturally gets less either as the person recovers, or the grief lessens. Or, inevitably the ‘care giver’ burns out and becomes unwell themselves, needing to reduce the amount they give to others while they themselves recover. Please do not make your ‘isolation phase’ like this. We will need all our energy to cope with our ‘new normal’. So do not exhaust yourself with high intensity caring or ‘doing’ right now.
It is going to be vital for us to stay connected, hear another persons voice. This will be especially important for all those people in ‘isolation’ alone. Of course stay in contact. However, please do not fill your day with ‘keeping in touch’ with everyone. The ability to stay in touch using all this technology does come with a downside. Just because you can, does not mean you have to. Or that you should be keeping in contact with everyone you know, everyday.
We need a break. Our minds need time away from ‘people’, ‘screens’ and productivity. We need rest, fun, and joy. We need to be aware of our surroundings (even more so now). Listen to the birds and have a ‘mindful moment’ and truly listen. Maybe try an mindfulness app like Headspace.
Mindful moments are essential…
Please be aware that the guidance on how harmful social media, and screen time is has not suddenly disappeared. We still need to be mindful of how much of it we consume. It is relevant for all ages and especially teens as this Telegraph article reminds us https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/11/social-media-linked-increased-risk-mental-health-problems/
This is especially important when it comes to media content. Please limit your daily ‘dose’ of information. We are already overwhelmed with change, worry, grief, and panic. We naturally are trying to grapple and plan. We are catastrophising, and predicting the future. This is only natural, and completely our norm. However, be mindful of when this is happening. Be kind to yourself, and try and ‘let go’ of doing this. We can’t plan everything. We have to wait. We are in limbo. Nobody has ALL the answers. We need to be patient, calm, and focus on the things we do know. Use all the strategies you can to be aware of your thoughts. Have a look at them, and see if you can notice any distorted thinking? If you would like to know more about this then have a look at this PDF. https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/UnhelpfulThinkingHabitsWithAlternatives.pdf
Common thinking distortions…
GETSELFHELP.CO.UK
Then be kind to yourself. Just because you thought it…does not mean you have to act on it. We are all in this together, coping the best we can.
Take care everyone 💜