Pandemic mental health: anchor, plan and act

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TAKING CARE OF ONE’S MENTAL HEALTH as a priority is a belief that has been increasingly publicized. Boy did that belief take a back seat when COVID hit! It seems like every day we are facing a new struggle to maintain a sense of general mental wellness.

Gruber and Borelli recently noted in a news publication that nearly one-third of Americans are experiencing symptoms of clinical depression or anxiety, and the Well Being Trust estimates we will suffer up to 150,000 additional deaths tied to the social isolation and economic stressors associated with COVID-19. Additionally, the Harvard Business Review just released a workplace study in April that surveyed over 1,500 individuals related to burnout and found that over 85% of people felt that their general wellbeing had declined. Roughly 50% of those respondents specifically noted that a general decline in their mental health was responsible for this downturn.

Think about it. Under the weight of COVID-19, life is anything but predictable, with hybrid virtual school schedules, lack of toilet paper and cleaning supplies, gas prices on the rise, and who knows what next. Work became increasingly virtual and now appears to be slowly swinging back to center. Community-wise there are numerous questions like: Where do I get the vaccine? Which vaccine is better? Will I get sick? Do I still wear a mask? What business is open? How close can I be seated next to someone? All of these questions factor into the confusion formula and require constant pivots to decision-making. These challenges can lead to cognitive, physical, and emotional fatigue that collectively drain one’s mental health and, potentially, overall functioning.

What to do: anchor yourself.

Consider anchoring yourself and weathering the storm by establishing a simple plan and follow-up actions. Soon this will transform into a functional routine. Consider starting your day, a few times a week at a designated time, journaling, exercising, praying and/or meditating. These are examples or tactics of anchoring that can stabilize the chaos and shut out the noise from the lack of predictability that is out there trying to get in.

Plan where and when to drop your anchor by using a calendar. Focus on budgeting your time and money to start with. Begin with a one-week period and move on to no more than 30 days. The lead-time you will get out of this practice will allow prep time to dedicate resources to the commitments on the horizon. Things may change, but writing out a calendar puts things into concrete perspective, which is often helpful to reference in a nebulous world.

Act. The most reliable predictor of goal attainment is behavior. As Nike says, “Just Do It.” Enough said.

If any of this has made sense to you and if you would like further mental health and/or addiction care, consider A Renewed Mind (ARM). Or, if you are feeling tired or lack energy, have sleep disturbances, or are feeling down, depressed, or hopeless, remember that you are not alone—you are like so many other people. Again, there is help and it is just a phone call away.

If your children are struggling, ARM also serves young children and youth using creative videos featuring puppets and expressive arts to help families through the pandemic.

Contact us through www.arenewedmindservices.org or call 1-877- 515-5505. We update our Facebook page and website regularly with additional resources.

Finally, if you are searching for meaningful employment in behavioral healthcare, please consider ARM as your employer of choice. Our corporate culture supports innovative programming and provides the resources to do so. We also deeply value inclusion and professional development leading toward career advancement! Apply online at our website. Come grow with us and make a difference! Live Renewed!

Matthew Rizzo is President and CEO of A Renewed Mind.