7 Ways to Deal with Depression during the Corona Virus Pandemic

The 2020 year from the start has been a rollercoaster ride for everyone. Mainly in the many unfortunate events that occurred this year, COVID-19 was the biggest of them all. From the beginning of the year 2020, the Coronavirus soon turned from an epidemic to a pandemic within weeks. No doubt it shook us all to the core as you, along with others, were forced into quarantine and lockdown. Millions of people all around the globe lost their jobs. Many people saw their loved ones for the last time as they lost their lives fighting the virus—all of this lead to being scared, anxious, and depressed.

Depression is a state of sadness that makes a person feel lazy, tired, and hopeless, making him lose interest in everything. Depression is a mental disease that can be temporary or long-time, which needs to be clinically handled by a professional.  Researchers saw through studies and surveys that people are facing depressing and other mental health issues seven times more now and will continue to do after the pandemic.

To fight this depression that has plagued our minds and makes us scared, here are the top seven ways to get rid of depression. 

1.    Finding a Routine

For example, as a student, you woke up early morning, had breakfast, went to school, came back, did homework, ate dinner, played games, and then went to sleep. More or less, this was how every day went. Now came the lockdown, schools are shut down, and you are finding yourself in an uncertain situation every day. You are scared and depressed. You can’t see your friends and go out. As being an adult, you lost contact with friends and family and are isolated.

Now how to deal with this depressive state? Make a routine for yourself and adapt to your current conditions. Accept that this is the reality. Counseling yourself every day or with the help of a friend or loved one can be constructive. The next step is to make a schedule. Wake up early in the morning. Do work from home and don’t skip out on online classes. Eat meals at appropriate regular times. Go to sleep early and try to be productive. You’ll then eventually start yourself getting used to a routine and noticing a betterment in your mental health.

2.    Physical Exercise

It cannot be stressed enough how important staying physically active is. Depression often causes people to feel lazy and unenergetic. You might slowly find yourself gaining pounds and getting physically weak. What you need to do is take care of yourself through physical exercise.

‘A healthy body makes for a healthy mind.’

Working out and doing exercise releases dopamine that helps uplifting and making the person’s mood high and happy. Exercising will also make you feel achieved and stay in shape. It is a great stress reliever and an excellent way to fight depression and anxiety. When gym equipment and plans are not available, a smartphone is. Many great and useful motivating apps help you with daily exercise.

3.    Divert your attention

One of the top ways ‘how to reduce depression’ includes distracting yourself. Maybe you lost your job, or you generally have nothing to do. Naturally, in these conditions of consistent bleakness, your mind will overthink, and you’ll put yourself in depression and anxiety. Don’t let your mind wander free like that. Be productive and engage yourself in other activities. For example:

¨       Read a book- or 10!

¨       Make a hobby like crafting

¨       Arts and craft are always fun

¨       Rediscover old passions. What had you always wanted to do but never had the time to do?

¨       Work on your physical self. Lose weight or increase your muscle mass by daily workouts. Stay fit!

¨       Start cooking and bring out the chef in you

¨       Experimentation

¨       Redesign your interior

¨       DIY projects from the scarp

Through these ways and many more, you can make yourself mentally healthy and happy. You’ll let your creative self out and find the positivity in your creations and books.

4.    Avoid Drug and Alcohol use

Often people tend to distress themselves with the use of alcohol and drugs. It may make you feel that you don’t have any worries or problems, but remember that is only temporary. In reality, suppressing those emotions and not facing them with recreational drugs and alcohol will only backfire and in the worst ways possible.

After you return from that high feeling, you will crash, and the reality will fall on you twice as hard. You’ll find yourself depressed and stressed way more than before, causing you to fall back on drugs and alcohol. Therefore, you’ll be putting yourself in a destructive and addictive cycle. Other than that, your physical health will also deteriorate. You won’t have a proper peaceful sleep and feel lethargic and nauseous often. Not to forget headaches will be your constant companion.

5.    Spiritual exercises

You will not definitely want to go on a journey to find yourself at this point (though that wouldn’t be bad), but rather, some simple ways that will help you achieve peace and serenity.

Breathing Exercises help a lot when dealing with stress and calamity. Sit in a quiet place or a place that calms you. Take in your surroundings, clear your mind, and breathe. Deep breaths. IN and OUT. Hold it in for 10 seconds and then release. Do this repeatedly until you feel calm and centered.

Yoga is another brilliant way where you calm your mind and strengthen your body. It allows people to maintain their core and not get scattered and stressed during calamities, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prayer is also a widespread and calming, anti-depression method practiced by a lot of people. The feeling and assurance that someone is watching over you and will help and guide you calm a lot of people. Having a strong faith, no matter what the religion, always helps fight depression and get rid of it.

 

6.    Stay linked, stay together

Family and friends are essential components of life, like how oxygen and water are. You can’t live without them. The human is a social creature and interacting, no matter in what way, is essential for mental wellbeing. The COVID-19 or Coronavirus pandemic forced us to isolate ourselves from people and end all physical interactions. But as much as that is disappointing, there is still hope!

Technological advances have allowed humans to communicate and interact, no matter how far the distance is.  With the help of phone calls and video chats, people continents apart feel close as if they are right next to each other. Make group calls with family and laugh and talk. Call your friends for online games and banter. Spend intimate time with loved ones and feel closer to each other. You might have been physically apart, but keep the communication open to keep the hearts together. This way is one of the best ways to get rid of depression and anxiety.

7.    Have a positive mindset

This last point applies to all situations of life, pandemic or not. Most people cause themselves depression by overthinking and convincing themselves that all will go wrong. Anxiety is natural and bothersome. But if one can overthink negatively, they can try and think positively too. Consciously tell yourself that it will be alright. Make it your mantra, ‘It will be okay. I’m alright.’ And even if you’re not okay, that is completely fine! All things take time, but eventually, everything turns out fine.

There are some ways through which you can train your mind to reach a positive mindset and conclusion that are:

¨       Read positivity and self-help books

¨       Make a list of pros and cons

¨       Focus on the bright side

¨       Reach for solutions instead of hiding and procrastinating

¨       Don’t take shortcuts that might backfire

¨       Stay calm

¨       Take it slow and take breaks

The bottom line

In the end, know that you are not alone. Everyone is in this together. Through hardships and problems, don’t let depression take over and anxieties control you. It is okay to reach for help at any time. Try not to lose hope when all things seem to go downhill, instead sit down, take a break and try again. You should stay connected, spread love and positivity, and most importantly, love yourself.

Also, Read: Top 10 Healthy Foods that can be Dangerous if Eaten Wrong