Are you struggling during this quarantine period? If so, you’re among the majority. Unfortunately, many of us are struggling with stress and anxiety in varying degrees and for different reasons.
Many are worried about their jobs and bills. Others are worried about their health and the safety of their loved ones. And we’re all left to take a deep look inward, which is incredibly uncomfortable when we’re used to having so many distractions.
This is probably why so many people are now turning to alcohol as a distraction from the stress of it all. But unfortunately, alcohol is only going to make things worse. Once you start seeing signs of alcoholism in yourself or loved ones, any stress you had before will inevitably amplify.
So, instead of turning to the bottle, consider trying one of these healthy ways to refocus that quarantine stress.
Meditate
It may seem like a major leap from getting drunk to meditating, but the two have more in common than you might think. Meditation is a natural and very healthy way to boost feel-good chemicals in your brain. The good news is that you can start seeing results immediately and there aren’t any negative side effects.
Start a new hobby
One way to refocus quarantine stress is to distract yourself from all the negativity in the world (and in your head). The key here is to avoid stressing about your new hobby. Don’t put any crazy pressure on yourself to become fluent in a new language or get to a particular clothing size by the end of quarantine. It’s great to have goals, but in times of extreme stress, we also have to remember to be kind to ourselves.
Exercise daily
During this pandemic, some people are exercising more than ever just to get themselves outdoors. Others became couch potatoes as soon as their favorite gym shuttered its doors. And it doesn’t even matter where you currently fall on this spectrum. Exercise is just plain good for your physical and mental health, and it can help relieve some of the stress you’re dealing with. At the very least, you can expect a daily distraction with a dose of feel-good hormones that follow.
This pandemic is challenging us all in ways we never anticipated, but it’s up to each of us to find ways to rise to the challenge and care for our own mental and emotional health. That may look different for you than it does for someone else, and that’s perfectly okay.
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
