MedicateOH’s editor provides tips for staying sane as Ohio deals with Coronavirus
Not a whole lot has changed in our household since Ohio was ordered to stay at home. That is, outside of my children being on an extended spring break, my partner working overtime at a local grocery distribution, and not hanging out with friends.
As Editor in Chief for Medicate OH, I’ve been supporting our team’s initiative to continue providing MMJ Patients in Ohio with the most relevant news.
I’ve worked from home on and off for the last three years. My home office has been headquarters for my business for years. In some ways, I’m familiar with this experience. This lifestyle is a luxury but it’s also lonely.
Hello, world, you there?
Getting out into the world to socialize isn’t just in my nature (Libra here.) But being around others for companionship and conversation contributes to a very balanced perspective and overall better mental health. However, I want to look at this time as an opportunity to decompress. Refocus and refine. Cut down to what matters most.
I know I’m not alone in feeling stress, anxiety, and seclusion. Collectively, people across Ohio (and the world) are impacted by COVID-19 one way or another. Right now, it’s easy to get caught up in the confusion and despair of this new reality.
However, our team at Medicate OH wants to encourage all of our readers to take extra steps to practice mental healthcare each and every day we’re quarantined.
Mental health tips
The Psychiatric Times recommends “self-exploration (ie, self-analysis,) entertainment and humor, formal communications (using technology-based resources,) and reading/writing exercises to cope with the isolation many feel due to COVID-19.”
Here are a few ways to put these suggestions into action:
- Get a notebook or journal (or, if you don’t have access to either, use your notes app or a Word Doc.) and begin recording the small joys of your day. Challenging ourselves to show gratitude can make for some great writing.
- Avoid binging trauma so keep the murder, cold cases, and heartbreak out of your most-watched rotation for now. Instead, opt for an inspiring or feel-good movie. Not your style? There’s plenty of dark humor on Netflix.
- Put your tech resources to use and make the most of community support through Snapchat, Teams, Zoom, and Facetime.
As our Publisher, Gabrielle, recommended in a recent article, “One of the best things you can do to increase your endorphins and help you feel better is to get some FaceTime with your sweetie if you can’t see one another in person. Even over video chat, it can make all the difference to know that your loved one is out there, still yearning for a real hug and looking forward to the day you reconnect together in person.“ - Read a new book, or, listen to one. Audible recently made hundreds of their audiobooks available for free. There are options for the whole family to enjoy with categories for children, literary classics, teen and more. Headphones, a cup of tea, and a good book all sound pretty great right now.
While we don’t know what the future holds, and we cannot control it, we can control our reactions and our peace. Stay healthy, Ohio!
#WeAreAllInThisTogether
