10 Best Tips To Maintain Good Mental Health In The Quarantine Phase

The outbreak of coronavirus has affected the lives of several individuals throughout the world. This highly infectious virus spreads from human to human through the droplets from the mouth or nose of the infected individual when he/she coughs or sneezes. Also, the droplets may land on the nearby objects, and other people may contract the disease when they would touch the objects with the droplets of an infected person. So, timely lockdown and getting quarantined helps curb the spread of this highly infected virus.

• Quarantine: Quarantine means isolating individual or group of individuals, who are exposed to either infectious disease or places, for a period.
• Lockdown: It is an emergency protocol preventing people or any information from leaving a particular area. It is a security measure to restrict the spread of coronavirus.

Several people are confined to their homes or in quarantine centers to prevent the spread of the virus. And, staying indoors or in a closed space for days together when you get quarantined may affect your mental health adversely. Worries, gloominess, and apprehensions may creep in your mind. So, you might be wondering exactly how your state of mind would get affected, how to beat these tough times, and stay in good mental health, aren’t you? Keep reading to learn all about it.

How Quarantine Period Affects Our Mind?

People might get anxious, afraid, and frightened due to the prevailing news of the pandemic affecting the world. Many people might be away from their families and loved ones. People earning on daily wages and protecting their families may be finding these times hard. Lockdown and home quarantine make everyone stay indoors, and some individuals may get stressed due to a loss of occupation and restrictions on socializing. Man is a social animal, so, naturally, people may experience stress, anger, and anxiety due to restrictions on socializing. Emotions overpower us in different situations. Here are some emotions which we may experience during the quarantine phase.

1. Anxiety: Anxiety is a state of worry and apprehension. An anxious person gets worried about the present state and feels trapped due to a loss of mobility. While being confined to indoors, you may feel anxious.
2. Sadness: Sadness is expressed as feeling low and not willing to communicate with anyone. In these days, as people are away from their loved ones, they may feel deprived of love and warmth.
3. Dependent and Worried: Limited availability of food substances and other goods and products and shortage of money may make people feel dependent and worried. Limited income and a lack of means to earn and spend may make people more dependent and worried.
4. Irritated: Restricted to a limited area (quarantine centers) or indoors with a few people may make one experience irritation.
5. Boredom: Following the same routine every day and not finding anything new and interesting may make people experience boredom within the same environment and with the same group of people around.

Tips to Overcome Negative Emotions and Maintain Good Mental Health When in Quarantine

Social preventive measures of social distancing, lockdown, and quarantine are genuine needs. Hence, we cannot ignore and disrespect such a national decision.

So, being a responsible citizen of our country and while following all the safety measures and staying indoors, we should also take care of our mental health. Here are some helpful tips to ensure your good mental health.

1. Learn what you wanted to do: Every one of us has some incomplete wish, be it learning to paint, sketch, and play instruments, such as guitar, flute, etc. If some people wanted to cook and had no time to cook a variety of dishes, they can utilize this time as a golden opportunity. If a reader feels short of time due to job, traveling, etc., he/she can utilize this time for the same.
2. Be connected virtually: We do feel lonely when we are far away from our loved ones. But, how can we overcome it? Technology has an answer. Video calling by apps, such as Skype, zoom or WhatsApp, will help you feel that they are near you and give you a sigh of relief
3. Indulge in your indoor hobbies: Cricketers and badminton players may feel restricted when quarantined, but divert your mind to indoor activities, such as chess, carom, and Board or ludo/Snake-ladder games which involve 4-5 people with laughter and fun.
4. De-Clutter wardrobe: Busy lifestyle makes us dump the material without analyzing its worth. Here is the time available to de-clutter wardrobes and recreating the design or homes.
5. Focus on living life than on lifestyle: Many people find it difficult to stay the way they used to before this phase. But, in these times, we should only focus on the necessary and basic items needed for living and should refrain from an extravagant lifestyle which involves having junk foods, addictions, visiting pubs, and clubbing with strangers. Nagging on the least important things will only pollute yours and your dear ones’ mind and body.
6. Spend time with family:70% of families have elderly people along with them. Due to a hectic schedule, many of us may have felt difficulty in taking their responsibilities. So, now we can spend time nourishing good relationships with them, make them feel special, and help them to alleviate their feeling of loneliness and worthlessness.
7. Physical activity: Being at home might limit your physical activity, but the solution comes to those who seek it. Climbing staircases, walking in the living room, and dancing with your sibling are the best ways to release stress as well as the fats in the body.
8. An empty mind is a devil’s workshop: In this period, where anxiety, sadness, and all other negative emotions are building up, being vacant doing nothing is the most dangerous thing. Because these negative emotions build rapidly when we are doing nothing. Only thoughts cloud over the mind, hence it is necessary to be active more than being in the thoughts.
9. Go back to childhood: Playing games, such as cricket and hide-and-seek with kids at home, are one of the best memories to treasure. Feel blessed to relive it.
10. Discuss your thoughts with your closed ones: Do not pile up the emotions in your mind. These clusters of thoughts and feelings when not expressed cause a burden and do not let us live in peace. Expressing thoughts and ideas with a wise and valuable person is like the ventilation process of throwing negativity out and absorbing positivity.

I hope these points might help the needy ones to deal with crises to maintain their mental health good.