Have you noticed emotional disturbance and mood swings during COVID-19? Due to disturbance in daily life activities, it becomes a global problem but you must recognize what depression or stress looks like. One of the factors that make you susceptible to developing depression during COVID-19 is loneliness and isolation. So, it’s time to take steps to build resilience and manage your depression. Here are the ways to deceive depression during COVID-19.
As we all know that mental health is more important than physical health. In a global pandemic, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by despair and hopelessness no matter whether you are working from home or going to work. The pandemic has changed the way you work. Depression and anxiety run side by side which may lead to burnout.
What are The Symptoms of Depression?
To manage depression, you must be aware of its symptoms.
- The feeling of helplessness or hopelessness
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Lack of interest in daily activities
- Concentration problem
- Physical symptoms include aches and pains
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Hypertension
Tips for Deceiving Depression During COVID-19
Following are the tips to deceive your depression during COVID-19.
Firstly, Change your focus
It’s not easy to take the first step towards improvement and fill yourself with motivation and energy especially in COVID-19. As it’s true that these are worrying and painful times and depression filters through a lens of negativity. So, you start to change focus and deceiving your depression towards optimism by using these sources
- Distract yourself by doing any small goal according to your interest (gardening, cooking, writing, listening to music, etc.) which gives you a welcome break from negative thoughts and adds a sense of meaning to your day.
- Limit your consumption of news just listen to news once a day from a reputable source.
- Express Gratitude especially when you feel everything in life is bleak and hope.
- Maintain your daily routine by structure your tasks like the meal, sleep time, spending time communicating with friends, etc.
- Get Moving by regular exercise at home as exercise can be just as effective as an antidepressant.
- Practice relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and meditation.
Secondly, get a Daily Dose of Sunlight
Sunlight plays an important role in improving your mood by boosting the serotonin level. So, whenever possible, get outside during daylight and take sunbathe for at least 10-15 minutes. You can use sunscreen if needed.
- After lunch takes a walk.
- Have your coffee, tea, or juice outside.
- Double up on the benefits of sunlight by doing exercise outside.
- Increase the amount of sunlight in your homes.
Thirdly, Challenge your Negative Thoughts
“Thoughts are like a river”
As Depression sees through the lens of negativity, it’s important to cope with negative thinking patterns during COVID-19 and convert into positive ones. Do you feel powerless or weak? Bad things happen to you and there’s not much you can do about it? When these types of thoughts overwhelm you, it’s important to know that these are signs of depression and these irrational attitudes- known as cognitive distortions which are not realistic. These thoughts are automatic and you may not even be fully aware of them. You can’t break out of this pessimistic mindset by just telling yourself to “think positive”. So, there is a need to identify the type of negative thoughts that fuel your depression and replace them in a balanced way of thinking.
Forth, Find New Ways to Connect with Others
Due to COVID-19 meeting with friends and family members become difficult but it doesn’t mean to resign yourself to feeling alone and isolated. While nothing beats the mood-boosting power of face-to-face contact but doesn’t mean to stay disconnected from your family and friends you can connect them by using the following ways:
- Video call
- Audio calls
- Via text
Finally, Seek Professional Help If Needed
If you still can’t cope with your depression then you should take counseling from a mental health professional who helps you in maintaining a positive lifestyle during COVID-19. Professional tools to treat depression from a variety of angles and motivate you to take action necessary and also develop insight to prevent depression from coming.
Conclusion
We all know that coronavirus is a great disaster from which everyone suffered differently. But at the same time, if we notice we learn a lot during COVID-19 like how to take care of ourselves, we spend time with our loved one. As there is a morning after every sunset so, don’t lose hope and spend time by making a daily routine for deceive your depression during COVID-19, get close to nature, and take benefit from it.
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