Quarantining yourself at home can play an important role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Taking care of your mental health is essential, even if your time in quarantine is relatively brief in the serious situation of things.
How Quarantine Affects Mental Health. The isolation imposed by quarantine frequently will make:-
1) People feeling that they have no control over the situation.
2) Feel cut off from the rest of the world and unable to perform their usual duties.
3) Lead to poor sleep, poor cardiovascular health, lower immunity and depressive symptoms.
4) Loneliness can have negative consequences on both physical and mental well-being.
Possible Mental Health Effect of Coronavirus Quarantines
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.
Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:-
. Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
. Changes in sleep or eating patterns
. Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
. Worsening of chronic health problems
. Worsening of mental health conditions
. Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
. Sadness
. Confusion
. Anger
. Depressive symptoms
. Low mood
. Emotional disturbance and exhaustion
Factors That Influence Coping
1. Your current mental health
Previously existing mental health conditions, including depressive and anxiety disorders, can also impact an individual’s ability to cope.
2. How you deal with stress
-If you tend to be fairly in the face of stress, you may have coping skills that will allow you to manage being quarantined without many negative effects.
3. Your personality
-Extroverts may struggle more with the feelings of loneliness that isolation brings. Extroverts also may experience more loneliness or find staying home more difficult. People with more introverted personalities tend to enjoy solitude, so they may have an easier time coping with limited social interactions. Introverts tend to feel drained after socializing, so they may actually cope pretty well during the quarantine.
4. How long you are in quarantine
-The duration of quarantine is a key factor in determining how well people cope. The longer restrictions last, the more pronounced the effects are.
Things You Can Do to Cope
. Establish Routines- Plan out activities that will keep everyone busy so you can get some work done. Try creating a daily schedule, but don't get too stress up in sticking to a strict routine
. Be As Active As Possible- Your quarantine may be brief, but staying active may help you feel better and maintain your fitness levels
. Combat Frustration and Boredom- Finding ways to stay occupied is important, so try to maintain as many of your routines as you can
. Communicate-Stay in touch with friends and family by phone and text. Reach out to others on social media. Talking to others who are going through the same thing can provide a sense of community and empowerment
. Stay Informed, but Not Overwhelmed- People tends to experience greater anxiety when they feel like they don’t have access to the information that they need
. Remember That Kids Are Stressed Too- Focus on maintaining a sense of structure at home and model healthy, positive behaviours. Managing your own anxiety can help calm the fears of children in your home
. Remember Why You’re Doing This- When you are feeling frustrated or cooped up, it can be helpful to think about the reasons why you are quarantining yourself
Slowing the spread of the illness helps keep the number of sick people at a level that hospitals are able to treat. By doing your part to prevent the spread of the disease, you are protecting others and making sure that those who are sick are able to have greater access to available health resources
How to Find Professional Support:
Fortunately, there are ways to find someone to talk to without leaving the house. There are a number of online therapy options that allow people to speak with a professional therapist online, by phone call, text, email, or through a video call. It can be a great way to get extra support during a difficult time.
A Word to remember:
Strategies such as quarantine, social distancing, hand washing, and other safety precautions can all play an important role in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Finding ways to protect your mental health when you are in quarantine is important since research has shown that this type of brief isolation can potentially have a number of mental effects, from low mood and irritability to symptoms of anxiety.
Staying busy, keeping in contact with others by phone and social media are just a few key ways that you can mentally manage your quarantine.
References
. Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
. Article by Dan Gray on May 4, 2020
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