Do not let the lockdown lock your mind down

The world is currently going through a difficult time. Infectious diseases outbreak like COVID- 19 can be very scary and have lasting effecs on our mental health and well-being. During such situations we tend to feel anxious and get filled with mix of emotions ranging from panic to depression. This spread of deadly novel coronavirus has affected us in different ways. With school closures and cancel events, many students are missing out on some of the biggest moments of their young lives, this in turn is affecting their mental well-being by making them cranky and moody. Not just a student but also the adults are facing it difficult to work and balance their family life. Everyone around us is talking about social distancing and staying home which is reinforcing their thought of being useless. In such a situation it is important for us to incorporate different rhythm of life, a chance to be in touch with others in different ways than usual. Create a new daily routine that prioritizes looking after you. As a family, we can come up with different ways to cope up with this stressful pandemic situation. It is very important to adress the mental health issues that we are facing on a regular basis during the lock down period.
Following are few ways to work on your mental health and well-being during the lockdown period.

# Stay connected with your friends and family (by maintaining social distance).
# Limit the news and be careful of what you read (since it might built-in more of anxiety).
# Have break from social media and spend some quality family time.
# Avoid burnouts (practice mindfulness exercises)
# Engage the students well in more productive way.
# Avoid making assumptions and drawing conclusions.
# Be aware about what you feel and acknowledge your feelings.

In any biological disaster, themes of fear, uncertainty and stigmatization are common and may act as barriers to appropriate mental health interventions; however as a responsible citizen of the country it is our responsibility to take a moment from our life and try to work on our mental health and well-being.
~Ms Rashmi Yadav