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Depression in Corona times: 8 tips that can see you through the crisis.
Depression in Corona times:
8 tips that can help you through the crisis
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The Corona crisis shows how quickly an acquired normality can be paused and created structures disrupted. Instead of social contacts, loneliness, being alone and also existential fears are currently on the agenda for many people. It is not yet possible to say what long-term effects the Corona pandemic will have on the mental health of each individual. But this is certain: There will be consequences and no one should be alone with it! The following eight tips can provide you with lasting help to weather the crisis and depressive symptoms well.
Times of crisis, such as the current Corona pandemic, present special challenges to both people with and without depression. Prof. Ulrich Hegerl, chairman of the board of the German Depression Aid Foundation, explains: "In a depression, everything negative in life is perceived magnified and brought into focus, including worries and fears about the corona virus." As a result, people with mental illness find it harder to actively manage actions that limit their daily lives (such as social distancing). Below, you'll find eight simple tips that are straightforward to integrate into your daily routine and that can help you counter depressive symptoms efficiently and for the long term.
This does not necessarily require a radical reversal of your life rhythm or style. The important thing is not to overexert yourself and to stay within the ranges in which you feel comfortable. Otherwise, frustration quickly sets in when you don't succeed - which is the opposite of "doing well."
Tip 1: Develop routines
.Structure your day or week carefully and create new routines - for example, starting with getting up in the morning, followed by mediation, regular work and meal times, and ending with simple things like a walk, reading, watching a series, or doing relaxation exercises before going to bed.
Design your day or week carefully and create new routines - for example, starting with getting up in the morning, followed by mediation, regular work and meal times, and ending with simple things like taking a walk, reading, watching a series, or doing relaxation exercises before going to bed.
Conscious repetition of a certain activity at the same time of day ensures that new links and connections are made in your brain between different neurons and nerve cells. In short, new synapses are formed in the brain. The more often you repeat a certain thing, the more you strengthen this connection. As a result, your new routine becomes completely unconscious and effortless. Your brain doesn't have to keep asking itself what comes next, but can switch off or devote itself to other tasks. This minimizes recurring challenges and releases an incredible amount of energy!
Tip 2: Stay active
.For those who aren't quarantined, get out into the fresh air - and in daylight! Whether it's a long walk, a round of jogging or a bike ride, outside activities can be a good distraction for you and bring out the happy hormone serotonin. Increased serotonin levels in the body and brain have been shown to positively affect your mood. However, vitamin D is also needed for the formation of the happiness hormone. In addition to dietary supplements, your body can easily absorb the useful vitamin through UV radiation from the sun - so get out of the house, enjoy the sun and let the happiness hormone take effect!
Tip 3: Keep bedtimes
.Feeling exhausted and would rather spend the day in bed? Lying down for longer periods of time and sleeping longer promotes an increase in exhaustion and depression. Therefore, you should not stay in bed longer than usual, go to bed earlier and do not lie down during the day - a fixed daily schedule from tip 1 can help.
.Tip 4: Keep in touch
.It's no secret that regular contact with other people is important. Even if you're in the home office or in quarantine, there are several ways to maintain social contacts. In addition to traditional phone calls and video chats with family and friends, you could, for example, organize a digital game or cooking evening - which is not only good for you, but also for your loved ones. In order for the everyday break to be particularly effective, you should perhaps also avoid (not suppress) the topic of the corona virus and distract yourself with other topics.
Tip 5: Take care of yourself
.You give your job or even your worries the attention they demand - why not your body? Even small wellness time-outs can work great wonders when it comes to calming down and relieving stress. A trip to a spa is not possible at the moment, but it is also not absolutely necessary. Just like the motto "feel-good time within your own four walls": Conscious nursing routines in the morning and evening give you time to plan and review the day or perform small mindfulness exercises and short meditation sessions. For example, working your skincare into your skin after a busy day can help clear your head and prepare your body for a restful night's sleep
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Tip 6: Keep a diary
.A depression diary can't cure depression, but it can help: When writing, we deal with things that occupy us deep inside - with fears and desires but also with our own experiences and experiences. It doesn't matter which writing method is used. The important thing is to pause in the process in order to rediscover one's own footing. Psychologists also use diaries as a supplement for many a therapy, as it has been shown that holding thoughts can have a positive effect on mental illnesses and writing has the power to alleviate depressive symptoms.
Tip 7: Use reputable sources of information
.Facts reduce worry and anxiety, so you should use only reputable sources to inform yourself on various topics. Especially in the current times of crisis, when new news regarding the progress of the Covid 19 pandemic is emerging seemingly every hour, an overabundance of information can quickly overwhelm you. Consider limiting news reading to once or twice a day.
Tip 8: Seek (preventative) help
.If the Corona Crisis is causing your first depressive symptoms to show up, or your depression is worsening as a result, don't be afraid to ask for help. Depressive symptoms are many and varied and should be taken seriously. It is a difficult time, so you should get support in time - for example, through online offers from counseling centers or in conversations with a telephone counseling service or specialists. A visit to a therapist counts as a doctor's visit and can also be made during the nationwide contact ban. In addition, many practices offer telephone or video consultations.
Phone and digital support services:
.If you yourself or family members and friends are/are affected by mental illness, you can find support services here:
- At family doctors and specialists you trust .
- Telephone pastoral care: (0800) 111 0 111 or (0800) 111 0 222 (free of charge)
- Helios Corona hotline: (0800) 8 123 456
- Online forum: https://www.deutsche-depressionshilfe.de/ or https://www.diskussionsforum-depression.de/
- Email advice for young people: https://www.jugendnotmail.de/
