Mental health organisations and crisis helplines have reported an alarming increase in the call for their services during the social distancing times we’ve experienced this year. People are reporting higher levels of anxiety, depression and feelings of loneliness and abandonment.
An Increase in the Call for Help
It’s important to understand and know that these feelings are shared by many of us, and we might want to both seek out professional help and get guidance on the help of a financial nature. Independent insurance brokerage im-insured.co.uk provides some helpful advice to those who need it when it comes to your mental health during this time of extreme social distancing. They also offer many different life insurance products from the UK’s top providers, aimed at a wide variety of customers – packages catered specifically for Mental Health Life Insurance, Depression Life Insurance and Anxiety Life Insurance.
The Effects of Isolation
It’s a weird feeling, and one we aren’t used to at all when we see someone do their best to avoid coming close to us. It can feel personally insulting, even though we know why they’re doing it and it’s a good thing for both them and us. This is just one way that the effects of isolation can play on our minds and being cognisant of it and giving ourselves agency to feel angry or upset about it is perfectly okay. Human beings are a social species and we need the companionship and closeness of others in our lives. We’re not used to being alone and isolated, so this is new to all of us.
Finding things to keep yourself busy and inspired will serve you well at the moment, particularly if they have a creative outlet. Try your hand at painting or writing or learn a new skill. Even a simple jigsaw puzzle can instil a sense of accomplishment if you’re able to complete it.
How to Manage It
Knowing and identifying the signs of the effect that social distancing and increased isolation is having on you is critical and knowing how to deal with it is even more important. Here are a few ways you can help yourself stay positive during this time.
Do your best to accept that you’re going to have days where you’re going to feel down, lost and in despair. Recognise this is a normal emotion for the times and know that they won’t last forever. Anxiety and a feeling of being out of place will pass, and you need to give these feelings time to do so.
This means you’re going to have to learn not to be so hard on yourself during the coming few months and not look back too harshly on how you dealt with the last few months. Realise that this is all a learning experience and you’re navigating unfamiliar territory without a map or a guide.
Spend a lot of time connecting with friends, family and colleagues in any way you can, via video calls, phone calls or chat messages to feel connected to them. Virtual contact will never replace physical contact, but when the alternative is no contact, you should embrace the technologies and what they can offer us during these trying times.
