Mental Health Tips To Ease The Strain Of Lockdown

For almost 12-months, the United Kingdom has been faced with multiple lockdowns and various restrictions in a bid to combat COVID-19.

While highly beneficial, it goes without saying that the Great British public’s mental health has undoubtedly felt the ramifications of the restrictions that have been put into place.

In 2020, it was reported that the number of adults experiencing symptoms of mental health

disorders, including anxiety and depression, had sadly doubled.  Furthermore, 45% of people in the United Kingdom were reported to be experiencing increasing bouts of stress and anxiety when considering COVID-19 and the strain of lockdown.

In addition to an increase in the number of people struggling with mental health disorders, frustration, hopelessness and loneliness are among the emotions that the Great British public has been left to experience as COVID-19 and lockdown have controlled our every waking moment.

Mental Health Tips To Ease The Strain Of Lockdown

If you find yourself concerned about the strain of lockdown on your mental health, we have provided several mental health tips to ease the strain of lockdown below.

Create A Daily Routine

As additional lockdowns are imposed, you may find yourself experiencing various pessimistic thoughts and feelings.  The idea of being isolated from others and having to work from home is likely to leave you feeling somewhat deflated.

You may even worry that you will struggle with the repercussions of lockdown in the future, which will ultimately have a knock-on effect when considering your mental health.

If this resonates with you, we would highly encourage you to create a daily routine.  Although you may question why this is necessary, it should be noted that daily routines play a crucial role in managing your mental health, especially in stressful situations.

As you create and implement a routine, you will find that your day once again has structure.  In turn, this will help reduce any feelings of stress or anxiety that you may encounter.  A routine will also help you feel somewhat productive, which in turn will boost your overall mood.

When considering the elements to include in your daily routine, you may find it beneficial to incorporate the following;

• The time that you will wake up and go to sleep
• Any working hours (if you are working from home)
• Time for hobbies
• Time for exercise
• When you will have breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Time to talk to your friends and family via Zoom or telephone

Take Part In A Regular Form Of Exercise

Across the world, various studies have been conducted to gain an understanding of the benefits that participating in regular exercise has on mental health.

Research presented collectively determines that 150 minutes of exercise per week can reduce mental health disorders by as little as 30%.

Although you may not feel motivated to participate in a form of exercise, participating in an online Yoga class, virtual personal training session or simply going for a daily walk can drastically boost your mood and help reduce depression, anxiety, stress and burnout.

Take Up A New Hobby

If lockdown has caused your mental health to decline, taking up a new hobby may be an efficient solution when considering how you can improve your mental well-being.

Whether you spend time drawing, painting, reading, baking or even teach yourself how to play a musical instrument, taking up a new hobby will encourage you to make time for yourself.  A new hobby will also provide you with something to focus your energy on.  In turn, this will ultimately reduce the time you spend feeling anxious, nervous or worried about the future.

Make Time To Speak To Your Friends and Family

Sadly, the lockdown has restricted our ability to see friends and family members.  This is just one of the many factors that have contributed to increasing bouts of loneliness.

Regrettably, loneliness can lead to a wealth of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. However, regularly talking to friends and family members via Zoom, Skype, telephone, and even text can positively influence an individual’s mental health.

If you find yourself feeling somewhat lonely, picking up the phone and giving your loved one or friends a call is highly recommended.

Not only will you find that talking to a loved one offers you an outlet to express how you feel, but you will find that, even if only for a short period, you are relieved of any mental health concerns that you may be experiencing.

Confide In Your Employer

Should you find yourself struggling with lockdown, mental health, and working from home, you must confide in your employer.  Although you may be hesitant about doing so, your employer has a duty of care to ensure that you are provided with the support you may require to safeguard your mental health

When confiding in your employer, you will likely find that they want to do everything in their power to support you as best as they can through this somewhat uncertain and testing period. You may also come to realise that you are not the only person struggling to adjust to the new normal that has been imposed.

Contact Addiction Advocates

If you find yourself struggling with a mental health disorder, you may believe that there is little help and support available to you, especially during a lockdown.  However, as touched on above, there are various tips that you can take advantage of to preserve your mental health.

If you have attempted to take advantage of the mental health tips to ease the strain of lockdown outlined above, but find that you require additional support, we would encourage you to contact us.  At Addiction Advocates, we can provide you with the mental health treatment that you need.

Although the thought of initially contacting us may seem daunting, we will ensure that you feel comfortable discussing your mental health struggles with us.  In doing so, we can recommend suitable treatment that will reduce the severity of your mental health disorder and help you live a healthy and happy future.