Self-Care, Together and Apart

In part 1 of our series on staying healthy during the COVID-19 quarantine, we talked about how to stay connected socially to guard against loneliness and feelings of isolation.  In part 2 we talked about how to stay physically healthy without a gym.  Today, we’re going to talk about how to improve your mood.

It’s easy to get lonely, anxious, or even experience strange feelings that are hard to define.  Quarantine can easily exacerbate existing mental troubles like depression, and it’s important to stay aware of your feelings.  Rochester Holistic Psychiatry has some suggestions on how to stay in a good mental place.

Find Safe Ways to Go Outside

Like we mentioned in part 2, the brain is just another part of the body, and moving the rest of the body is good for the brain.  Try walking in open parks or trails.  If none are open, try spending some time outside of your home by doing some yard work or starting a garden.  Gardening is soothing yet intellectually stimulating, and as a bonus, produces food and flowers!

Write Down Your Feelings

Journaling is a perfect way to articulate what you’re feeling and it’s very informative to look at later.  You can use your journal as a record to identify patterns and notice improvements or bad habits.  Journaling also makes you feel validated, as you now have your thoughts in a tangible form.

Play!

When is the last time you indulged your inner child?  If you have children (or not), join them in their games of imagination, or games that improve fine motor skills.  Play music, cards, video games, board games, puzzle games, maybe even play a little hooky.  Try crafting games, such as seeing who can build the best toy boat to try in the bathtub.

Savor the Small Things

You’re doing your best under a lot of stress, and you deserve to be appreciated.  Appreciate yourself in the ways that please you.  Make your coffee extra good, open a window early in the morning to listen to the birds sing the sun up, watch a movie you loved as a kid, luxuriate in a nice bath, eat some juicy mango.

Stay Connected with Us

Rochester Holistic Psychiatry is here to help you stay healthy during these uncertain days.  We are available for telemedicine calls so that you never have to go without professional mental health support.