The coronavirus pandemic gave us a stay-at-home order regardless of where you live and who you live with. While there are some perks to live alone, isolation without anyone presents a unique set of challenges. Here are some signs that you may be struggling if you are living alone during a pandemic:
- Exhibiting poor sleeping patterns
- Being focused on tracking social media or news
- An increase in potential problem behaviors
- Not feeling motivated to return a message or phone calls from friends and family.
- Feeling hopeless or helpless.
- Repetitive and uncontrollable negative thoughts
Fortunately, there are some effective ways on how to cope and foster a healthier mindset if you live alone during this challenging time.
4 Tips On How To Cope With
- Nurture Your Existing Relationships
One of the most effective ways to maintain optimal emotional health is to nurture friendship and family relationships for people living alone. It may be in a good time or in a not-so-good time like what we are facing now. Consider a video call once in a while with your loved ones or colleagues, having exercise classes, online happy hours, or other creative activities. Humans are dependent on the connection for emotional health. Talking with others about fears can help relieve worries. This may also be a good time to have new friends, which you can do through online forums or virtual volunteer opportunities in your community.
2. Take Care Of Your Body
Strive to take care of your body by eating well, having physical activity often, and getting some daily sunshine. It will not only improve your mental health by distracting you from the noise of negativities, but it also pays shades to your physical wellbeing. Exercise could be something as simple as a daily walk or run. There are also lots of free workout courses online that you can try. If you’re a regular at a gym, check in to see if they offer an online alternative. In terms of nourishing the body, you can also try cooking as a fun exercise. The act itself can distract you and relieve stress.
3. Dive Into A New Hobby Or Skill
If you don’t have the mental capacity or time to have a new hobby, it’s excellent. However, exploring new creative outlets or improving an existing skill can be a boon to your mental wellbeing. Having a new hobby might be somewhat like seeking a new subject of curiosity.
4. Monitor Overall Health
Though you are not likely to get sick from the coronavirus if you are just at home and having quarantine by yourself, it’s still vital to observe for any possible symptoms you might have. The coronavirus diseases’ symptoms are:
- Fever
- Persistent dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Body aches
- Headaches
Being mindful of your symptoms is very important. If you feel like you are experiencing symptoms, let your family or friends know and consult right away. If you hesitate to let any of your friends know, have that one trustworthy person on your contact list that you can call immediately if you experience any disease symptoms.
