Check In With Your Mentally Ill Friends During COVID-19
If your mental health is being affected by this whole coronavirus, self-isolation, complete lockdown situation, then GIRL SAME.
The authorities that be, you know the World Health Organisation and those types of governing bodies have acknowledged that this whole thing is not only going to affect people because of the actual virus, but it is not going to help anyone mental health, let alone people actually struggling.
However, when I was reading through the tips published by the WHO for mental health during this time, they just felt out of touch. Like gold star for effort, but really? Are you serious?
Like take this one for instance: "avoid watching, reading or listening to news that could cause you to feel anxious or distressed."
I think this means don't turn your phone one, nor your TV, nor any form of communication to the outside world. You turn on your TV and your favourite nightly television program *cough Home and Away cough* have been replaced with a news show dedicated to updating you on COVID-19. You flick to your favourite news local website and you will see little to nothing about whats going on in your community, no one's been murdered, no one has done something great- nope, everything is about coronavirus. You log onto your social media and your Facebook friends are panicking about the virus, the people you don't know on Instagram are posing with their PPE. It is inescapable and there is no way we can avoid feeling anxious or distressed.
I am not here to pick apart what people are suggesting we do to preserve our mental health during this scary time. Nope, I am here because I want you to check up on your mentally unwell friends and family during time.
Everyone is anxious, everyone is distressed, but can you imagine that what you are feeling if you are a mentally well person is multiplied by 100 for someone who really struggles with their mental health.
Some people deal with their mental illness by going to the gym each day. Gyms are closed.
Some people deal with their mental illness by going out into the world and getting on with their days. We are being told to self-isolate.
Some people deal with their mental illness by going to work day in, day out. Businesses are being closed, people are losing their jobs.
Some people deal with their mental illness by cooking. People are panic buying, now there are limits in place for what you can buy, what is available, how many of something you can purchase.
Coronavirus is heightening our anxiety and lowering our abilities to be able to deal with our mental illness. Check-in with your mentally ill friends during this pandemic. Self-isolation is bad, but it can be much, much worse for those who already feel trapped in their own minds.
