8. Keep in touch. | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

8 Ways To Cope With Your Mental Health Pandemic

Looking for a change in pace or mindset? These tips to improve your mental wellbeing are for you.

38946
8 Ways To Cope With Your Mental Health Pandemic
Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

In This Article:

This year has truly impacted everyone's mental health in every aspect. People of color may have found themselves stressed or discouraged in light of social and racial issues in the United States. Americans have found themselves anxious about the pandemic, the election, and financial uncertainties. So, here are eight ways to improve your mental health and furthermore, your lifestyle amidst this year's struggles.

1. Stay active.

Tracking Mona / Instagram

Exercise has many benefits attributed to mental health including reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood while also improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Increased energy and stamina, reduced tiredness, and an increase in mental alertness are also some mental health benefits.

For example, schizophrenia patients who participated in a three-month physical conditioning program showed improvements in weight control, reduced blood pressure, and increased perceived energy levels.

You don't need to run a marathon to feel the benefits of exercise. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is sufficient for these health benefits. These 30 minutes don't need to be continuous, either, meaning three 10-minute walks are equally useful as one 30-minute walk!

2. Talk about your feelings.

Priscilla Du Preez / Unsplash

Many people view talking about your feelings as a sign of weakness, but talking about your feelings and having someone actively listen to them can improve your mental health. Having an empathic listener can make you feel supported and less alone, and perhaps by opening up the person you are talking to will do the same.

Whether you're talking to a therapist, a close friend, a family member, or just journaling, talking to someone you trust can be a step toward having a healthier mind.

3. Eat well.

Alysia Pope / Instagram

Maybe you don't want to exercise as much; I get that. According to Dr. Cora, a board-certified psychiatrist, sticking to a diet of healthy food can help set yourself up for fewer mood fluctuations, an overall happier outlook, and an improved ability to focus. Furthermore, unhealthy diets have been linked to an increased risk of dementia or stroke.

A diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oily fish, dairy products, whole grain bread, and plenty of water can benefit your mental health by making you feel better and healthier. You are what you eat, and if you try eating healthy foods, perhaps you'll have a healthier mind!

4. Take a break.

Jet and Food / Instagram

As we continue through the holidays and finals season, taking a break by a change of scene or a change of pace can be great for your mental health. From a 15-minute break from being with your family to a 30-minute break from studying for exams, taking a break can give you time to de-stress and refocus.

A key to this tip is listening to your body. If you're feeling hungry, maybe taking a snack break would be best. If you're stressed, go for some yoga or mediation. My personal favorite yoga instructor is Yoga With Adriene, who focuses on mediation and mindfulness as well. If you're feeling tired, try taking a nap. Without a good amount of sleep, our mental health can suffer and our concentration especially can go downhill fast.

5. Ask for help.

Marília Castelli / Unsplash

Outside of talking to those you trust, there are many local services that are also able to give you the help you might need. Examples of these services include joining a support group to help make beneficial changes to your life, finding a counselor to help you make a new start, or visiting a Citizens Advice Bureau if you need advice on debt.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline handles many crises, not just serious ones. The Trevor Project's LGBTQ-focused helpline is also beneficial, as well as the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses' hotline, and the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

Mental health continues to have a strong stigma attached to it worldwide, so it's understandable if you're feeling nervous or scared to reach out. By asking for help, you're already taking a big step of significant courage and bravery.

6. Do something you're good at.

Katherine Boxall / Instagram

Enjoying yourself can be a key part of beating stress and boosting your self-esteem. Concentrating on one of your favorite activities such as jogging or playing board games can help you forget your worries and change your mood for the better.

Participating in something creative like drawing or painting can help you express yourself creatively. Doing something active and social such as rock climbing or playing football with friends gets you both active (Tip #1!) and gives you the opportunity to meet new people.

7. Care for others.

Anna Earl / Unsplash

With the skills mentioned above, perhaps volunteering for a local charity or organization might be for you! Helping others can make us feel needed and valued. Helping your loved ones or caring for a pet can improve your mental health too. Volunteering can help us see the world differently and therefore put our own problems in perspective.

Taking care of a pet more specifically can bring structure to your day and benefit your social life as many fellow dog walkers tend to chat. My personal favorite volunteering activity is working with puppies who are training to be service dogs at my college.

8. Keep in touch.

Meghan Schiereck / Unsplash

Strong family ties and supportive friends can help you through many aspects of life and help you develop a healthy mindset. They can help you feel included and cared for, as well as keeping you grounded and provide help in solving practical problems.

Giving someone a call or shooting a quick text will keep lines of communication open and build these relationships further. If you have been feeling distanced from your loved ones during COVID-19, maybe reaching out with a phone call could build your relationship up again.

Conversely, if you think someone is damaging your mental health, it would be beneficial to take a break from them or even end the relationship if it feels that bad.

Whether you're feeling stressed from feeling cramped in your home during quarantine or feeling tired from studying for exams, there's something for everyone in relation to having better mental health.

Report this Content
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

80247
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

8542
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments