By Gargi Bagchi – Managing Editor, The African Gazette
Just when we thought, slowly life is returning to semblance of normalcy with worldwide vaccination rollouts and dip in infection numbers, South Africa has moved to an adjusted level 4 lockdown, due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Restrictive measures have been imposed, post the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday evening (June 27) to contain the spike in infections and relieve the healthcare sector of the added pressure.
With the country under lockdown again, we cannot overlook the mental health consequences for specific vulnerable categories as well as the whole population. Some of the adverse conditions common during confinement and lockdown include feelings of social isolation, boredom, stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, negative mood, addictive behaviors, suicidal tendencies and domestic violence.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADG) said that earlier under lockdown, they got calls from people even without any history of depression or anxiety; there were overwhelming large numbers feeling stressed and anxious due to the lockdown.
Tips to Manage your Mental Health during Lockdown
Follow a routine: As far as possible, maintain a daily schedule like waking up and going to bed daily at similar times and eating healthy meals at scheduled times. Deep breathing, exercising regularly, keeping up with personal hygiene and allocating time for resting and enjoying leisure activities are also some of the ways we can curb anxiety and feelings of isolation.
Be selective about newsfeeds: Avoid consuming content that triggers feelings of distress and anxiety. You can follow trusted news channels and World Health Organization on social media and seek latest information, once or twice a day at specific times. Minimize screen times and take regular breaks. Do connect with friends and family, but it’s prudent to assess and readjust your social media activities – muting or unfollowing people triggering your worry and anxiety is a helpful measure.
Restructure your thoughts: Swap your negative thoughts and feelings of powerlessness with constructive thoughts relating to what you CAN achieve during lockdown. Keep a gratitude journal, read books you have been postponing for months, clear your cupboard clutter and develop a new hobby or pursue a new passion – like learning to play an instrument or dishing out a new recipe.
Take care of your physical health: Have a balanced healthy diet along with drinking eight glasses of water every day to stay hydrated. You should aim for catching up on minimum seven hours of quality sleep too.
Conclusion:
Finally, if you need a listening ear, do not hesitate to reach out to a counsellor in a clinic or a hospital for an online chat session. You can also avail of free telephonic counselling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through The South African Depression and Anxiety Group( SADAG) Helplines – call 0800 21 22 23, 0800 70 80 90 or 0800 456 789.
We are all together in these difficult times. Let’s be kind and compassionate towards one another and work towards de-stigmatizing and normalizing mental health issues, that may be exacerbated during the current lockdown.
Gargi – Currently Managing Editor of The African Gazette, she has been an independent content creator, researcher and editing professional. With 12+ years of experience across diverse writing genres, Gargi comes with an exposure of working with a multitude of global clients in the digital space. She has a penchant for reading and researching on new topics, and enjoys listening to music and traveling. She can be contacted through Email or Linkedin
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