Every Mind Matters
You are not your feelings. You just experience them. Anger, sadness, hate, depression, fear. This is the rain you walk in. But you don’t become the rain. You know the rain will pass. You walk on. And you remember the soft glow of the sun that will come again.
Matt Haig
Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives. As we go back into a national lockdown the message from the government is simple however, the consequences behind the sound bite are huge, more so this time than previously is the impact on mental health. I'm cheating a little this week, I'm not an expert in mental health however, there are things you can do now to help you keep on top of your mental wellbeing and cope with how you may feel if you're staying at home. Here's some sound advice from the NHS.
Stay connected with others
Maintaining healthy relationships with people you trust is important for your mental wellbeing. Think about how ways to stay in touch with friends and family if you or they need to stay at home – by phone, messaging, video calls or social media.
Talk about your worries
It's normal to feel a bit worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. Remember: it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust – and doing so may help them too. If you cannot speak to someone you know or if doing so has not helped, there are plenty of helplines you can try instead.
Look after your body
Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse.
Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Avoid smoking, drugs or drinking too much alcohol. If you are staying at home, you could try exercising indoors, as there’s lots of free online classes. Or try an easy 10-minute home workout.
Stay on top of difficult feelings
Concern about the coronavirus outbreak and your health is normal. However, some people may experience intense anxiety that can affect their day-to-day life. Try to focus on the things you can control, such as how you act, who you speak to and where you get information from.
It's fine to acknowledge that some things are outside of your control, but if constant thoughts about the situation are making you feel anxious or overwhelmed, try some ideas to help manage your anxiety.
Do not stay glued to the news
Try to limit the time you spend watching, reading or listening to coverage of the outbreak, including on social media, and think about turning off breaking-news alerts on your phone. You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or limit yourself to checking a couple of times a day.
Carry on doing things you enjoy
If we are feeling worried, anxious, lonely or low, we may stop doing things we usually enjoy. Make an effort to focus on your favourite hobby if it is something you can still do at home. Or start a new hobby: read, write, do crosswords or jigsaws, or try drawing and painting. Whatever it is, find something that works for you.
If you cannot think of anything you like doing, try learning something new at home. There are lots of free tutorials and courses online. You can still stay social at home by joining others online: book clubs, pub quizzes and music concerts are just a few of the things to try.
Take time to relax
This can help with difficult emotions and worries, and improve our wellbeing. Relaxation techniques can also help deal with feelings of anxiety.
Get good sleep
Good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how we feel, so it's important to get enough. Try to maintain your regular sleeping pattern and stick to good sleep practices.
Hang in there everyone, we will get through this!
What’s on this week?
Head & Eyes – CATWA HEAD Catya v4.5
Hair – Foxy - Nebula
Skin – [the Skinnery] Amber (Catwa) toffee BB
Body, Hands & Feet – Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara V5.3 + [ session ] & Skinnery BOM Addons
Tattoo – [CAROL G] Funny Cat TaTToo
AO – Vista Animations *HUD 5.33*-ERIKA AO NOFACE CURVY-V21
Shape – [the Skinnery] Amber (Catwa Catya) Shape modified
Nails & Rings – **RE** Elektra Nails & Rings - Maitreya Bento
Face Piercings – ^^Swallow^^ Indira
Bodysuit – //Ascend// Lyla Body Suit - Lara @ this round of Fameshed
Boots – Eudora3D Briar Heels (Maitreya)
Pictures taken at the beautifully autumnal Duchess's Little Corner of the World