People who work in crisis situations on a regular basis talk about the six month wall. For most of us this is a fairly new idea, but one that we are having to adjust to with the pandemic.

23rd September marked the six month anniversary of the start of the lockdown, and although we had a partial break over the summer, we are now back into uncertainty and restrictions.  This is made worse by the onset of autumn; the colder, shorter days and the increasing awareness that the pandemic is not going away any time soon.

If this article is making you feel even more depressed, don't give up!  Here are some tips and links for looking after your mental health, and breaking through the wall to a more positive state of mind.

 

• Give yourself things to look forward to - it's harder than usual, but you can still plan small treats and meet-ups with friends (within the rules) and write them down in your calendar so you can see you have something nice ahead.

 

• Set boundaries on news and social media - it is really easy to get into the habit of checking the news and other social media many times each day. Unfortunately there is a lot of fear and anger to be found, and this can really get you down.  Try to limit your screen time, or tune in to a comedy instead to take you away from the gloom.

 

• Give your brain a rest with some meditation and feel your stress levels reduce - if you're new to it and not sure where to start, there are lots of apps available and some of them offer a free trial so you can try them before you have to start paying.

 

• Do some decluttering - often hard to get round to but well worth it if you can.  Clearing out a cupboard, giving a bag of stuff to the charity shop or a ticking something off your to-do list feels great and increases your sense of personal achievement.

 

• Practice gratitude - it can be really easy to let negative thoughts take over, but try to focus on what you have instead of what you don't; we all have things to be grateful for.  It is good practice to train your brain to focus on these rather than what is missing.

 

• If you're really struggling, reach out - if every day feels like hard work and you can't seem to feel better, talk to someone.  Whether it's a friend, colleague or professional, it is important to look after your mental health and sometimes a bit of external help is needed. You won't be alone in feeling this way.

 

Here are some useful links that may help:

MIND - looking after your mental health during coronavirus

NHS - latest Covid-19 advice

Advice about counselling - British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Advice to improve quality of life - thecalmzone.net