How To Cope With Depression & Anxiety During Isolation

Everyone is dealing with a lot of complex emotions right now that may have all been there before this but have been exacerbated by the whole thing. Or these feelings could be totally new and result of all the panic and isolation we must endure for now.

Speaking as someone who certainly has their share of struggles and has felt an array of emotions during this time I can relate to everything you’re feeling. Hopefully, these simple recommendations might help, even a little.

Make sure you’re getting your medication/s

Meds are so important during this time particularly to stay healthy and to make all the negative thoughts and feelings quieter during this time.

• Order them online (I use Superdrug and they have been posting them through my letterbox for over a year now). Just order your repeats online and they do the rest. They even remind me when you’re due your next prescription.
• Follow up with your GP. A lot can be done over the phone.

Keep yourself busy

For me having something my mind can focus on most of the time is the thing that’s really made a big difference to me. Stress, panic attacks, anxiety, all these shades of lockdown emotions can be helped a lot by focusing the mind on something else.

I’m an anxious over thinker who thrives on having lots to do and that good kind of work stress. But it’s not a one size fits all thing.. Like I don’t really enjoy colouring and that kind of thing that much, it doesn’t help me but lots of people love it.

• Work (if you still are) – I find this a godsend for keeping my mind active and busy. It’s a great distraction from everything.
• Exercise.
• Draw/colour.
• Do puzzles.
• Take online courses. There are lots of great free ones online.
• Bake – I find this very relaxing for me. Baking bread in particular is my therapy and always has been.
• Watch some good tv series.

Stay healthy

• Get plenty of rest
• Eat well – try and eat the healthy mood boosting stuff too.
• Exercise – move your body
• Cut down on the caffeine – It can actually make your anxiety worse and even cause panic attacks.
• Practice wellness & meditation etc – I love using the calm app.

Stick to a schedule

Some people are very comforted with routine and that’s all been thrown out the window for those working at home or not working at all.

But you can still add some routine and order to your life.

• Wake up at the same time each day
• Make yourself breakfast
• Make a schedule for the day with some easily achievable goals.

Get those negative thoughts out

• Talk to a friend – it helps to vent and talk things through. And also knowing that someone understands and can relate can be a big help in itself.
• Bullet journal – I love to write things down. I find pen and paper a better medium for me but everyone is different. When I’m typing or jotting down my feelings I don’t second guess it and just let it all flow. The act itself of acknowledging those feelings and validating them feels very therapeutic. Once I’ve got them out in some kind of medium I feel a lot better.
• Blog/Vlog

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I hope you enjoyed this post and that you find it useful.

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Thanks for reading!

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