Mental wellbeing during Covid-19

Taking care of your mental health has never been more important, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Highly experienced GP, Dr Victoria Owen is here to offer support and advice for anyone who might be struggling. 

The past year has been one of the most challenging in recent history.

The amount of mental strength and resolve required in order to survive such a testing time cannot be over stated, particularly when it´s difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Many among us have had to work, study or raise a family, while persevering through the drastic changes and unpredictability that go hand in hand with a new, highly contagious virus.

These changes to the way we live our lives such as having our freedom restricted, working from home, losing employment, being unable to travel, and, in a lot of cases, even having to beat the virus ourselves, have all had a seismic affect on our mental health.

For a lot of us, these sudden and drastic changes have left a feeling of longing for the lifestyles that we previously had. Usually when we are hit with difficult situations in life, we rely on social activities to get us through them, whether it be going to a friend’s house for a coffee, meeting at the pub or going to your local nightclub to let off some steam. These options have been collectively taken away from us, which can exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety which had been suppressed, or even trigger them for the first time.

All things considered, the majority of people coped fairly well with the first lockdown, despite its obvious difficulties. This time however has been a greater struggle for many. The cold weather, shorter days and general apathy brought on by the ongoing global situation has made the second lockdown much more difficult.

Regardless of your personal experience, remember you are not alone, your feelings are shared by millions around the world.

Speaking to a friend or relative about your feelings can help release some of the stress and tension you may be feeling, although this may not always help those with more deeply rooted problems. While it can seem daunting, speaking to a professional can be extremely useful as the can not only give you tools to help you navigate this testing time, they can also prescribe medication and help you get additional support if needed.

These feelings can often spring up by surprise and quickly feel insurmountable. The fact that many of your friends and family may be dealing with their own issues means sympathy and awareness can be hard to come by, particularly as there are often no warning signs beforehand.

Signs of depression

• Permanent sadness or bad mood
• Lack of motivation
• Feeling easily irritated or lacking patience with others
• Indecisiveness
• Constantly feeling hopeless
• Low self confidence
• Feeling like you´re on the verge of crying
• Grumpiness
• Anxiety
• Difficulty sleeping and/or waking up
• Feeling drained (mentally and physically)
• Lack of appetite
• Low sex drive
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm

Anxiety and depression were already rising in the younger population pre-pandemic. Results of a psychiatrist’s study, presented in one of the last face-to-face doctors’ meetings before the lockdown, showed that both of these mental health issues were present in a fifth of students across the UK. It is highly probable that the past year has caused an increase in the number of people affected by these conditions, across all ages.

While depression affects all of us regardless of age, race or gender, it can be particularly difficult for young men to tell people how they are feeling. Studies typically show that they are the demographic most at risk from self-harm. All young adults, particularly those who were living fruitful, enjoyable lives before the pandemic, may be feeling disillusioned with life at the moment. The human brain continues developing into our early thirties, which means it’s normal for young adults to lack the mental resources to cope with the strains of this period.

Teenagers and even children are also susceptible to these conditions, as they too have seen their lives change drastically over the last year. Like the rest of us, they have been frustrated by the constant rule changes, are getting cabin fever and missing their friends and doing the activities they love together. When we also consider the fact that not seeing older family members may also leave them lacking continuity and perspective, it’s clear that this demographic may also be struggling to cope.

General tips for mental well-being

1. Only focus on the things you can control

Anxiety and depression cause your mind to see everything from a negative perspective, which means as well as your self esteem being low, you can also begin to feel upset with your friends and family. In these moments its important to try and focus only on the things you can control, which is you and your actions. Remember that you cannot control other people and what they do, so focusing on yourself gives you a better chance of happiness.

2. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

This is a good place to start for anyone attempting to take care of their mental health.

Firstly, you should start with your physiological needs as they are the most important and simply must be met. They include the basic necessities of food, water, sleep, and exercise. While these things are essentially what keep us alive, getting enough of all of them is vital to mental wellbeing.

Basic safety needs, which consist of having a secure home that you feel comfortable spending time in, are your second most important priority. Making an effort to do things like wash dishes, take the bins out or prepare elaborate food can go a long way towards making you feel relaxed and calm.

Thirdly, social needs mean feeling loved and wanted, which can be achieved by making an effort to contact friends and relatives. Small gestures like phone or video calls, can do great things for the other person’s mental health, as well as your own.

Next are your esteem needs which include confidence, self-belief, achievement, recognition and both personal and social acceptance. These needs can be satisfied by doing a job in which you feel valued and important, participating in team activities like sports, taking up new hobbies.

Finally, once all other needs are met, self-actualization is the stage where we feel content in the belief that everything is going well.

3. Ask for help

Don´t be afraid to seek professional help. Acting early often means stopping an issue before feelings and habits set in for years. An effective technique for limiting the impact of anxiety and low mood is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a short-term, time limited therapy technique. Prescribed medication can also help in some situations.

Although you can feel depression and anxiety without developing a substance abuse habit and vice versa, there is a correlation. If you are or have previously been vulnerable to using problematic behaviours as coping mechanisms then it’s important to seek help before slipping into old habits. Things like alcohol, drugs, gaming or gambling excessively have a direct link to loss of mental wellbeing. These habits have increased during lockdown, both in terms of the number of people struggling with them and frequency.

Now more than ever, it is important that we try to concentrate on living day by day, which will make it easier to recognise if you are in need of support. It is also important to pay attention to the behaviour of our loved ones, although it can be difficult to spot that someone is having a hard time unless they ask for help.

If you would like to discuss how you are feeling with a vastly experienced GP, you can request a face-to-face or remote appointment here.

It has been a challenging year in which we have all got to know ourselves better.

Small acts of kindness can really help during this tough period and will be remembered even when it’s over.