May is Mental Health Awareness month. Coincidentally, it is the time that we are going through one of the toughest periods in our century due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are walking in unchartered waters, compounded by great uncertainties that have left many people hopeless, depressed, and worn-out, and on the verge of giving up.
One of the factors that can affect our mental health is stress. Stress is a global issue and no one is immune to it – irrespective of their race, age, color, ethnicity, religion - all of us are bound to be stressed at one point or another. When I was growing up, children in my village longed to be adults because in our view, adults had an easy time because they had freedom and money, while we had to be tied down by studying and doing house chores. What did our parents do? They would just sit down, put their feet up and flip TV channels. We never watched an episode to the end when they were at home because they flipped channels nearly fifty times! Now, as adults we are stressed about providing the basics for our families and meeting the ever growing demands of our employers. We want to go back to our childhood but we cannot turn back the hand of time.
Stress is the “nonspecific response of the body to any demand upon it.https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=articles+on+stress&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DRHMNC4fMXxkJ
According to the 2019 Global Emotions Report, “About a third of the people worldwide were stressed, worried and in pain last year and more than half of Americans feel pressure and strain.” During this pandemic, the stress levels have skyrocketed. This has cut across all ages. We have witnessed if not experienced high levels of stress and anxiety from within and without. Different directives for lockdown and curfew that many countries have been subjected to in order to reduce the number of infections have accelerated the stress levels.
Children are stressed because they feel caged in their homes. They don’t understand why they suddenly cannot play with their friends, get cuddled by their own parents, or continue staying home for long without going to school and meet their favorite teachers. Now they even miss the bossy teacher. They are also anxious especially about their education because of the month of the school term they have missed. Some have to deal with abusive parents and dysfunctional families. Sadly, some of these children miss school as that was their safe space.
The breadwinners in our families are stressed because they may no longer afford to provide for their families. Finances are stretched, jobs have been lost, and some have loans and mortgages to pay. Now is the time you remember the investments and savings you’d planned to start off but couldn’t, and now it might be too late. The times are even harder for those who live hand to mouth because jobs are scarce. They have to go back home with heads bowed in shame and disappointment, as it is yet another day that they are unable to provide for the families. It is another day they have to make up a lie and tell the children to take a short nap while you wait for someone to drop some food. Instead of the nap, they sleep throughout the night.
Most married couples are finding it hard to cope together. Because of the high cost of living, it means both partners have had to go out and source for food but now they both have to stay at home. Tensions are brewing in the homes. They suddenly remember the mistakes and sins committed ten years ago and wounds are re-opened, fights begin and there have been increased reports of gender-based violence during this pandemic.
The government is stressed. How do they keep their citizens hopeful, manage a pandemic and also mobilize resources? Woe unto any corrupt governments that have failed to implement their manifestos as they are up for significant bashing. Many countrymen have even expressed their wish that the virus infects all their politicians so that they can pay for their sins. A clear indication that citizens have had it with an inefficient political class.
How do we manage the stress and take care of our mental wellbeing? If we are not careful after COVID-19, we shall be dealing with another pandemic of depression and other mental illnesses. There is no perfect way that needs to be followed to the letter because we all handle and manage stress differently but there is something that we can do. We all can do self-care.
The first step is acceptance. Accept that things are tough. It is a new thing. Accept and realize that you are facing a hard time, and you are not the only one in these circumstances. Then, have a positive attitude. Attitude breaks or makes you. A positive mindset motivates you to realize that this is a passing wind, you shall overcome and with the changes that you shall navigate and manage. This will also include sifting the negative energy from social media, family and friends. Eat healthy and hydrate, I did not say expensive food but eat a balanced and healthy meal. You cannot afford to fall sick at the moment. Get going and keep doing. You can’t sit on the couch every day and say we are waiting for the cure. What is it that you can do with your time? Do you remember that DIY activity you have postponed half your life? Do it now. You have all the time. It will engage your mind and this will also be a good opportunity to spend time with your family members and bond. Utilize the opportunity to take up free online classes and learn a new skill. I am hopeful that this will pass and those who lost their jobs will secure job interviews and have something useful to report about how they used their time. You don’t want to be asked what you did in 2020 only for you to say that you gained experience in handwashing!
Rest. It is okay to want to rearrange the house every day, to scrub the pots, to watch movies, spend time on social media but rest, sleep. Take care of your body. For the children, allow them to ask questions, to understand the whole issue because they process differently from all adults, allow them to play and don’t choke them with studies the whole day, affirm them as you affirm yourself. Married couples, find ways to reignite your first love, reconcile. Plan for that vacation because it will inspire you to be hopeful. Have your ‘me time.’ It seems almost impossible but plan your schedule in a manner that you can have a breather from everyone else and re-energize. You are the best person to take care of you.
Even this shall pass, we shall overcome. Take a day at a time. There is hope at the end of the tunnel.
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