Maintaining your mental health during the pandemic.

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Mental stress since the last few months has been on the increase and it is not very far from the current state of the world. The pandemic has unsettled a lot of people and also has created so much anxiety. There are many people in the world, who lost loved ones, businesses and goals to the pandemic and it is very normal for mental stress and anxiety to set in.

[Source](https://www.needpix.com/photo/1572848/mental-health-mental-health-head-depression-psychology-therapy-mental-illness-brain) You go on the news headline each day and you loose hope that things are even going to get better, as cases and terrible events keep happening. Yes, all these can be unsettling and troubling for the mind, but you have got all it takes to be under control. First of all, you need to recognize that your anxiety is completely normal. It is a feedback mechanism that keeps the body on an alert and safe. But dwelling on it continually would rub you of your peace of mind and sanity. The anxiety being created from the Coronavirus has even made some persons commit suicide and loose focus. This should not be so. Coronavirus firstly is not a death sentence and recovery is very possible. I want to share below some of the things you can do to ease stress and anxiety this period. # 1. Get a distraction Instead of checking the news feeds every day, you can distract yourself by those fun activities, books, movies and even sleep. These things help activate some of your hormones and gives you balance. The more distraction you get this period, the less time you spend worrying over troubles. Sanity and mental health most definitely would be increased.

[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/healthy-mind-mental-health-mental-wellness-mindfulness-2377075/) # 2. Connect with friends and family Constant contact with friends and family can also help to reduce stress and anxiety. The lockdown met a lot of persons in different location aside their homes and as such has displaced many. But social media solves distant relationships as there are many ways to easily connect and share great time together. For persons living together with their family, spend quality time knowing each other better and get comfort from unity.

[Source](https://www.jbsa.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2001956265/) # 3. Focus on yourself Before now, a lot of persons never had some free time to spend with themselves. But the lockdown might just be that personal blessing in disguise. This is the time for self awareness and development. Spend time taking care and improving yourself. It could be taking up courses, finding new passion, taking up challenges or even developing new habits. All these would be ideally beneficial to your mental well-being. Finally, you need to understand that your mental well-being is important and needed this period. Loosing your sanity is creating more problems and for us to come out of this strong, our mental health should be sound. In case you are stressed and would want to talk to someone, do leave a comment below and we could share and encourage each other. See you on the next one.
Originally posted here: https://hive.blog/hive-148441/@donnest/maintaining-your-mental-health-during-the-pandemic