5 Tips for managing your mental health in a pandemic

Mental Health in the Pandemic: Tips from a Calgary Registered Psychologist

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of individuals. We asked registered psychologist and founder of Alpine Psychology Jeremy Luk for tips and considerations to monitor and maintain our mental health during these challenging times. Here’s what he had to say.

Pride In Business Community Spotlight, in partnership with TD.
By Jeremy Luk, M.Ed., R.Psy.

If you are experiencing a crisis or need to speak to anyone right away, you can chat with someone online from the Distress Centre or call (403) 266 - 4357.

These are strange times. We hear this again and again, yet sometimes we are so busy trying to make sure everything or everyone else is okay that we forget to take care of ourselves. Whenever we find that our minds and our bodies aren't lining up, we tend to go into stress mode as we try to protect ourselves, which becomes counterintuitive.

Here are some tips that might help alleviate the stressors in a COVID world:

1. Try to ground yourself by staying in the moment and remembering where you are.

Too often our brains get flooded with worries about things that haven't happened yet (the “what-ifs”) or we get stuck ruminating on things that have already happened in the past (the “should-haves”), that we become overwhelmed and stressed out. If you find this happening to you, take a few deep breaths, and try to ground yourself by paying attention to where you are in the moment.

An example might be the 54321 exercise, where you look around the room and note five things you can see, four things you can physically touch/feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. After a few rounds, you'll find your thoughts settling in with your environment! You can also play around with other senses (i.e. aromatherapy, tasting a favourite snack, warm bath, eucalyptus shower, or my personal favourite, croissants!).

“Too often our brains get flooded with worries about things that haven’t happened yet”

2. Don't be afraid to say "no" to others.

With vaccines, masks, and social gatherings being polarizing topics for some, it can lead to awkward or frustrating conversations with those that might not have the same opinion as you. Everyone is allowed to have healthy boundaries and the right to exercise them by saying "no" to others. You'll also find that saying "no" to others allows for more space for a positive relationship between you and them. Giving yourself permission to turn down invitations or situations that you don't feel comfortable with is a great way to take care of yourself.

“Giving yourself permission to turn down invitations”

3. Schedule yourself some "me time" on a daily basis and set boundaries between your work and home life.

This might seem obvious as more and more people work from home and feel like they have plenty of time on their hands, but it is easy for us to forget to actually set aside time where we can take care of ourselves and just unwind for a moment. This self-care can look different from person to person, but if it is an activity or period that you get to just relax and be intentionally present (that means no checking your work email while you're enjoying a bath), it can be a healthy break from the COVID world.

“Set aside time where we can take care of ourselves and just unwind ”

4. Stay connected to others!

Even though there may be several restrictions and we are encouraged to stay home, that doesn't mean we can't get creative with meeting our social needs. Social distancing is more about physical distancing, not isolating yourself from your tribe or your fams (I can't help my millennial lingo). There are a ton of different options to connect with others virtually: Whatsapp Video, Hangouts, Jackbox, Zoom, FaceTime, Houseparty, and even Grindr has a video option. So, designate a friend and volun-tell them to set something up for the group or coordinate something yourself. Either way works really! And with the weather becoming nicer — knock on wood — outdoor activities are a great option to engage with others and catch some Vitamin D. The actual vitamin, not that other one.

“Social distancing is more about physical distancing, not isolating yourself ”

5. Talk to someone.

I wouldn't be a therapist if I didn't take this opportunity to emphasize how helpful it can be to talk to someone about how you are feeling. Whether it is a friend, family member, or just someone that you trust and feel safe with, venting or letting out how you are doing can be a helpful way to process your emotions and even connect with others so that you don't feel like you are alone. Even if you don't think that things are "bad enough" to talk to a therapist, sometimes even doing just a mental health check-in can be a helpful way to see how you are doing and maybe help develop tools for potential stressors in the future. We go to the doctors for annual checkups (er, supposed to anyways), so why not treat your mental health the same way that you treat your physical health and see how you're doing?

These are just some quick tips to hopefully help lift some of the stress not just through COVID, but in general as well. If you have any questions or would like to explore some of these tips or look at some others, I would invite readers to reach out to me if they would like. In addition, if someone has insurance through work, investigate using those benefits if it includes mental health support and use them before they expire.

“Treat your mental health the same way that you treat your physical health”

Other Resources

Psychology Today is a good resource to look for different types of therapists that might specialize in different areas of counselling or to explore different counsellor options.

The Calgary Counselling Centre also offers counselling on a sliding fee scale so you can pay what you can for services. The East Side Family Centre, the Calgary Public Library, the Distress Centre and the Calgary South Health campus all offer free short-term sessions and Access Mental Health is a great resource that can also direct you to any mental health supports that might be a good fit.

Take care and be kind to yourselves!

If you are experiencing a crisis or need to speak to anyone right away, you can chat with someone online from the Distress Centre or call (403) 266 - 4357.

For our spotlight interview with Jeremy, click here.