How to Manage your Mental Health when Stuck at Home!
For many of us, these are uncertain and surreal times. Life as we know it has completely changed in a matter of weeks, and a lot of the basic freedoms and activities we took for granted are now off limits. For people with mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, or those with additional stress in their lives right now, it’s likely these things will be compounded and this time will be extremely difficult. We are here to help you. And we want to support you in helping yourself!
It is time to take action now! Here are some tips to help you get through this difficult time!
1. Acknowledge your emotions. How do you feel about what’s happening? Maybe you feel anxious or scared about catching the virus? Perhaps your worried about the financial or economic impacts? Maybe you’re concerned for loved ones? Overwhelmed? Or hopeless? Frightened? Confused? Grieving? Or maybe you’re conflicted on what to do? Maybe you’re bored? Frustrated? Or maybe even secretly relived or grateful that this is an opportunity to slow down! Whatever you feel, it’s ok! This is a time to acknowledge and allow whatever feelings come up, without judgment!
2. Stick to a routine. It’s really hard to maintain structure when all your usual activities have changed. But maintaining structure and routine will increase your sense of control, give you purpose, and help you still achieve what needs to be done! Get up, get dressed, then get moving!
3. Be flexible. Whilst a routine is important, it’s also crucial to balance this with flexibility. We’re navigating a totally new way of living, and it’s inevitable that not everything will go to plan. That’s ok, learn to let go of fighting for things to be perfect, and just do your best to adapt effectively when barriers arise!
4. Prioritise connection. This will be a time when many normal social activities will be reduced. Human connection with others is critical for wellbeing, and loneliness and isolation will make things so much worse! Find other ways to connect. Phone calls, messages, and videochats can be ways to maintain your support network and also let others know they’re not alone.
5. Focus on relationships at home. If you live with others, it’s likely the increased stress and tension will make everyone snappy. This is a time to remind yourself of your priorities. If the relationship with that person matters, be gentle in the way you communicate with them. Focus on empathy, validation and warmth, rather than getting what you want at the cost of the connection between you. Similarly, focus on your relationship with yourself. You matter too! If you need help, support or space, find a healthy way to communicate that to increase the chance of those needs being met!
6. Do at least one pleasant thing each day. It’s hard to be happy if you’re always focused on the things that are not going well. Try to ensure you do one thing each day that makes you smile, or that you enjoy, or are interested in. Maybe something you don’t normally feel you have time to do? Read that book that’s been on your shelf for a year! Take a long bubble bath or pamper yourself! Watch your favourite movie? Play an instrument or listen to your favourite song? Or perhaps explore a new hobby? Whatever you do, try your best to fully participate in the moment. Let go of all the other things you feel you should be doing, and instead treat this as a crucial part of your wellbeing plan!
7. Write a list of things you need to get done and tick them off one by one. Alongside pleasurable activities, having a sense of achievement is also important for wellbeing. Ticking things off as you go can be a quick way to help prioritise, and let you enjoy that sense of accomplishment!
8. Use this time for reflection. If you normally hurtle through life at a million miles an hour, could you use some of the time you would normally spend getting ready or commuting to reflect on your life, your goals, and your values? Is there anything you would like to be different when this stage passes and normal activity resumes? If so, is there anything you could do to take small steps towards that valued way of living now?
9. Empower yourself to focus on the things you can control rather than what you can’t. Tolerating uncertainty is so difficult for all of us. Spending all day thinking “What if X happens?” or “How long will this last?” will probably intensify any anxious feelings and make it really hard to stop worrying. Instead of focusing on things that you cannot control, try redirecting your attention to things that you have some capacity to change or influence. For example, instead of dwelling on “Will I or my family catch it?” You could try focusing on what you can actually do. You may not be able to guarantee you won’t be exposed, but you can control how often/thoroughly you wash your hands and how much you stick to government recommendations on social distancing.
10. Prioritise your physical health. For many people, reduced access to certain foods, and gyms/ boot camps being closed will make it much harder to maintain physical health. But these are obstacles to overcome, not roadblocks that need to stop you in your tracks! Physical health has a powerful impact on mood and emotion regulation. Try home workouts, eating balanced meals, prioritising sleep hygiene, and resting if unwell. In addition, try not to engage in alcohol/substance use as a means of coping!
11. Practice mindfulness, deep breathing, relaxation strategies, or meditation. For a lot of people, these things seem like an unwanted chore- extra effort they don’t have the energy or attention to engage in. But they are strategies backed by mountains of research for a reason! If you can overcome any resistance and give them a proper try, you might be surprised at the positive changes you notice. Download an app like Headspace, Smiling Mind, or Insight Timer for free! Or simply focus on mindfully eating lunch or taking a shower whilst noticing the different smells, sounds, sights, and sensations you experience. There are so many ways to adapt these techniques- find what works for you!
12. Choose what you watch/read/listen to. There is a lot of information and opinions floating around. Try to choose reliable sources such as government websites, rather than media outlets that often have an agenda of grabbing interest through eliciting strong emotional reactions in people. Focus on the facts, not the worst-case scenarios.
13. Get some fresh air! Go for a walk whilst maintaining social distancing, or if in quarantine, go into your garden, or even just sit by a window and inhale some fresh air!
14. Practice Radical Acceptance. Radical acceptance is a skill taught in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). It involves truly accepting reality as it is. This means completely accepting with your mind, your heart, and your body. It also involves letting go of the struggle, bitterness, and resentment that life is not the way you want it to be, that life is cruel or unfair, or that painful experiences shouldn’t have happened, or shouldn’t be happening right now. We do not need to approve of, or like, or agree with what is happening; but we do need to acknowledge the facts of reality in order to prevent any pain we’re experiencing turning into increased suffering. Ruminating about the past, worrying about the future, wishing things were different, and refusing to accept reality as it actually is leaves us feeling stuck. It leaves us unable to process what is happening, unable to choose how to respond, and unable to make any changes we need to make in order to live a life that is meaningful to us, no matter what challenges are thrown our way!
15. Finally, seek professional support. Our team is here to support you. Reach out and book a session- we can offer telehealth if required! Or make use of any of the national helplines – Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Kids Helpline and many others can be found here: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-helplines. Don’t suffer in silence. Your pain, distress, worry, fear are all completely understandable in this unprecedented time. You are not alone. Don’t ever feel like there is no hope for you. We, and thousands of other mental health professionals care deeply for your wellbeing and will do whatever we can to assist in helping you through this challenging time!
Exercising Our Mental Health
Regular exercise plays an important part in sustaining good physical and mental health. Most people are aware that activity leads to a decreased risk of diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease. However, regular exercise also plays a pivotal role in sustaining good mental health. It can relieve stress, improve your memory, boost your overall mood, as well as positively impacting anxiety and ADHD.
While you are exercising, your brain produces chemicals that improve your mood and it also stimulates brain areas that are responsible for memory and learning. People who exercise regularly tend to be motivated to continue to exercise due to the overall sense of well-being that exercise provides them. They sleep better, have sharper memories, and feel more positive about their lives. Plus, there is the added benefit of increasing levels of self-esteem from knowing you are doing something good for yourself and perhaps gaining a slimmer waistline in the process!
Regular exercise has been shown to treat clinical depression as effectively as antidepressant medication. It releases chemicals called endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. These same ‘feel good’ chemicals also help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety by improving your mood, and relieving tension and tight muscles that stress tends to bring on. The endorphins released during physical activity also improve your natural ability to sleep, which helps to reduce the impact of stress on our bodies.
Norepinephrine is another chemical released when exercising and this is thought to assist our bodies deal with stress more efficiently. Increased levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, produced during physical activity, are thought to improve attention and concentration. Not only is this good news for alleviating that “foggy” brain that people with depression and anxiety tend to experience, but it’s also good for those with attention disorders such as ADHD. Learning and memory functions are also improved, and new brain cells are created. This is great news for slowing age-related decline in memory and thinking.
Exercise is also a great way to practice mindfulness. Instead of replaying that terrible presentation over and over in your head while you are walking or jogging in the park, tune in to the here and now by focusing on what you can see and hear. Or take the time to notice your feet hitting the ground, the way your arms move in front and behind you, the movement of your torso, or your breath as you inhale and exhale. Focusing on the present moment while you exercise is associated with better mental health benefits.
The Australian government recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. The 30 minutes can be made up over the day in smaller blocks. If you’re tired aim for five or ten minutes and build your way up from there. If you haven’t exercised for a long time or you have any pre-existing health conditions it’s a good idea to visit your GP for a check-up prior to commencing any exercise program.
Why Me?
A question I hear over and over from clients is “Why Me?”… “Why is everyone else happy and enjoying life and I’m not?”, “Why am I struggling so much when everyone else has everything together?”, “What’s wrong with me?!”.
First of all – you are not alone. I wish everyone could see inside everyone’s lives like I get to. An instagram feed is not a true reflection of what someone’s life really looks like! In Australia, it’s estimated that 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. That’s almost 1 in every 2 people! Inner worlds are often so different to the outer world we project to others. So comparing your inner world to the artificial and carefully curated outer worlds of those around you is not only unhelpful but entirely inaccurate.
Secondly, you are not defective or broken because you are struggling emotionally. There are so many variables that can increase your vulnerability to mental illness, many of which are out of your control. I work with clients to understand the factors that may contribute to the development of their mental health difficulties.
· Genetics– Current research estimates that 50% of mental health difficulties can be attributed to genetic factors. This estimate varies depending on the specific disorder, and is likely to change as we understand more about epigenetics. Generally, a family history of mental illness means you may be more vulnerable.
· Pregnancy, birth & early childhood– Maternal stress and diet, delivery, and your first months in the world all play a role in your vulnerability to mental illness. The availability and responsiveness of caregivers, environment and presence of traumatic events are all important to consider.
· Life Experiences– As we experience the world, we form beliefs about ourselves, the world and our place in the world. These beliefs then act as filters, to influence memory, perception, attention and interpretation. Generally, negative experiences can lead to the development of negative beliefs, which can result in negative thought patterns, emotions and behaviours that can perpetuate and strengthen unhelpful belief structures. Negative beliefs about ourselves, our world and our place in the world are significant risk factors for developing mental illness.
· Personality– Personality style is a combination of genes and environment, and can influence thinking patterns, coping style, behaviours and relationships – all of which affect risk.
· Social Support– Having a good support system is an important protective factor. A sense of belonging and community forms a key role in our level of resilience.
· Self-Esteem– Beliefs, experiences and personality all affect our self-concept. Having low self-esteem is a another risk factor for mental illness.
· Lifestyle – Diet, exercise, sleep, physical health and how consistent our everyday life is with our values are all additional important factors.
These are just some of the variables that play important roles in determining someone’s vulnerability to mental illness. Everyone’s loading on these factors varies, and the degree to which different variables impact on individuals also varies. They can also impact on each other in both negative and positive ways.
I don’t share this information as a ticket to cash in a “victim mindset”, or to absolve all responsibility for mental health. Research shows that whilst 50% of our happiness may be due to genetic factors, and 10% to our life circumstances, 40% of our wellbeing is due to our own attitudes and actions. This includes where we focus our attention, our relationship to our beliefs, and our behaviour – over which we DO have control.
Understanding why you may be struggling emotionally can help to reduce self-blame and hopelessness. What is so encouraging is that there are many variables under our control that can help us manage mental illness and move towards wellness. Clinical psychology is all about providing a compassionate and non-judgmental space to help individuals understand why they may be suffering, and offering support and evidence-based techniques to move towards health.
Breathing For Anxiety
Often when a person experiences anxiety they notice changes in their breathing.
These changes can include breathing faster, feeling a tightening or pain in the
chest area and feeling dizzy or light-headed.
When we breathe, we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.
Typically the average person takes about 10-12 breaths a minute. How many
breaths per minute do you take? Set a timer on your phone or laptop, try not to
change your breathing from normal and then count your breaths. One breath is
counted as breathing in and out.
If you’re breathing more than 10-12 breaths per minute you may be subtly
hyperventilating. When we breathe too much air in, the balance between oxygen
and carbon dioxide becomes disturbed. We end up with too much oxygen and
too little carbon dioxide.
If you’re breathing more than 10-14 breaths per minute you may be subtly hyperventilating.
This reduction in carbon dioxide signals to our blood vessels that they are
getting more oxygen then they need. The blood vessels try to help us by
constricting and narrowing so that we don’t get too much oxygen in our brain. A
side effect of this narrowing of the blood vesicles in the brain is that we feel
dizziness or light headed. You may feel like you cannot get enough air in. In fact,
the problem is you have too much oxygen. Although this feeling is unpleasant
and intense, it is completely harmless.
Although for the most part breathing is automatic, the good news is we can also
control it consciously. For instance, think about the fact that you can hold your
breath whilst underwater. The unpleasant (but harmless reaction) will go away
once the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide are rebalanced.
The following strategies can be useful for reducing hyperventilation:
Building Positive Body Image
Body dissatisfaction has almost become a cultural norm in Western society. Body dissatisfaction is the top ranked issue of concern for young people (Mission Australia, 2016). Body image issues affect people of all ages, and have increased worldwide, especially with the acceleration of technology.
This pervasive problem is concerning, because overvaluing body image in defining ones self-worth is one of the risk factors which makes some people less resilient to eating disorders than others.
Our media culture perpetuates unrealistic and highly edited images of the ‘ideal’ body. We are exposed to 5000 messages per day that reinforce the thin ideal. How do you feel about your body after scrolling through your Instagram feed? Eric Stice’s research has developed a pathway from the media portrayal of the thin ideal to the development of eating disorders. Exposure of the thin ideal in the media leads to the internalization of this message in 80-90% of individuals (whether they’re aware of it or not). Body dissatisfaction then develops as a result of this in 80% of those individuals. It is estimated that 5-6% of the population develop a clinical eating disorder, with body dissatisfaction being the biggest predictor.
People experiencing body dissatisfaction can become fixated on trying to change their body shape, which can lead to unhealthy practices with food and exercise. These practices don’t usually achieve the desired outcome (physically or emotionally) and can result in intense feelings of disappointment, shame and guilt. Ultimately, the endpoint can be an increased risk of developing an eating disorder.
The key to a healthy relationship with your body is a balanced approach to food and exercise
Developing a positive relationship with your body is such a critical process for fostering wellbeing. Here are our top tips for building a positive body image:
Thriving During Year 12
Does the beginning of the school year fill you with excitement or dread?
Especially for those in Year 12, many students can find the prospect of their final year overwhelming. So many of my patients fit in this category, but I'm always excited when Year 12 students come in to see me at the start of the year. That way, we can work together to set them up in a way that not only protects their wellbeing, but sets them on a path to thrive.
High school pressure can be too much at times. If you, your child, or someone you know is struggling to cope, let them know that there is help available.
Here are 5 Top Tips for Making the Most out of your Final Year at School:
Dr. Amanda Hale is the Principal Clinical Psychologist in a team with offices in Bondi Junction and Killara. The practice specialises in working with children and adolescents, using evidence-based techniques and client-centred care to maximise wellbeing.
