Super Freak [Out]
Have you ever noticed a drastic change in someone you’re close with? Not a physical change, but a change in their emotions, stability, or mentality. These changes can mean a generally happy person has stopped talking to their friends and families. Maybe they’ve stopped eating, or doing the activities they loved. Maybe they switched from being calm and relaxed to worrying all the time, and not getting enough rest in result. Their grades drop, attendance to work/school drops, suddenly they’re a whole new person. This is all thanks to the many different forms of mental illnesses out there. Nami.org states that, “46.7 million people” have experienced mental illness in the U.S. With the new presence of the intimidating Covid-19, those numbers are unfortunately on the rise. This number is at an all time high and doesn’t seem to be dropping. With the virus spreading in a time where mental illnesses were already a huge problem, the panic and circumstances surrounding Covid-19 have only increased the nationwide problem.
Since the beginning of time it’s been a norm for humans to have daily interaction with each other. The newly issued mandatory social distancing and self quarantining have taken their tolls on the American people. A huge part of American culture revolves around freedom. With freedom immediately being taken away from Americans, many are not sure how to act. If they can’t go anywhere or talk to anyone in person, what are they supposed to do? This has pushed people to over-eating, over-sleeping, and being on their phones way too much. Even worse, it’s making people depressed over what they’ve had taken away from them, and anxious about what’s to come in the future.
Those with previous mental illnesses are being affected even worse, as now they barely have a connection to help from the outside world. Sometimes these people depend on social interactions. Some also need therapists to talk to, but many are not seeing patients right now due to the virus. People with anxiety have had their worries sky rocket. They worry about what will happen to their friends, families, and themselves. They’re scared of a dark world being the result of this pandemic and are freaking out because they don’t know how to stop it. People with depression are now cut off from people they depend on. They’re back to spending hours in their room not talking to anyone. Of course they can send a text but that does nothing compared to talking to someone in person. Others with eating disorders or body image issues are now forced to remain around food at all times and they can’t go to the gym with the support of strangers pushing them on.
Luckily, there are plenty of tips and tricks one can take to make sure they don’t fall into the bottomless pit of mental illnesses. Some of these tips and tricks include:
-Avoid obsessing over the news and social media apps that might spread extreme or false information. It’s important to stay updated with current issues but remember not obsess over it. Find what you need to know from a credible source, then move on from it. There’s no need to keep reading and scaring yourself.
-Set your own schedule. Wake up at the same time every day, eat your meals at the same time, have a set bedtime, make goals to achieve at certain times throughout the day. Having a schedule and staying in a routine throughout the day can make a significant difference on your mental health.
-Stay active. Even if you just walk around the neighborhood, or to the end of the street, keeping active has a huge positive effect on a person's brain.
-Lastly, try to focus on what hasn’t changed. Focus on those you love who are still around you. Don’t focus on what is going to change, or what already has, point out the constants in your life.