These past few days have been tough, draining, stressful, frustrating, and sad. All of the emotions you are feeling are very real and valid but they could also hurt your mental health.
While you must remember that the fight is far from over, you must also learn to take care of yourself. If you are not okay, you can’t fight for the comrades you’ve lost, but you need to be able to.
Here are five tips that can help you stay mentally healthy in these tough times.
1. Take regular breaks from social media: Don’t feel guilty to log off when you feel like it’s all getting too much. It’s okay to take a break. It will only make you feel stronger.
2. Allow yourself to deal with the emotions: You have a right to feel everything you are feeling. Allow yourself to deal with the pain, anger, and frustration. Cry if you have to, yell if it will help, and even punch something if it will make you feel better. Whatever you do, just make sure you are not bottling everything up.
3. Have long calls with friends: Since most people are stuck at home and probably alone, escape your thoughts by calling friends. Don’t be afraid to share your fears with them. And at the very least, you will be sure that those you love are fine and that will help keep you calm.
4. Revisit old and fun memories: This is the time to reminisce on the good times. Watch old videos, re-read messages, look at pictures, go through your older social media posts. Just make sure when you need a break from all of the madness happening around, you go to your happy place.
5. Sleep: If all else fails, sleep. Switch of all gadgets, drink some tea, put off all the lights, and sleep. You are bound to feel refreshed when you wake up, and you can fight another day.