Health experts across the country are asking people to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. But it’s also important to monitor your mental health while sheltering-in-place.
“Breaking Routine”
“It’s breaking the routine that people typically have,” said Dr. Laura Koehler, clinical psychologist at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. “And so for people that enjoy a very active lifestyle, not even like a physical active lifestyle, just an active lifestyle doing a lot of things, and now they’re at home, it’s just this huge shift that happened overnight for people.”
Koehler said to monitor your own mental health as well as the mental health of others. Watch out for physical sensations like stomachaches or headaches, personality changes, and changes in eating or sleeping habits.
Tips for Managing Mental Health
“One of the most important things is creating a routine, or possibly keeping the routine that you had,” said Koehler. “So still getting up at the same time everyday and still taking a shower and getting dressed – not staying in your pajamas all day.”
Exercising, eating healthily, and making time to connect with others via phone or video are other ways to manage your mental health.
For others, limiting exposure to coronavirus updates may be the answer. Koehler said to stick to trusted sources and to not spend all day looking for bad news.
Whatever the answer is for you, make sure you’re staying healthy physically and mentally.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
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