Mental Health Awareness Week

Anxiety after the pandemic.

It may be you are finding this week’s media focus on mental health hard to listen to, or feel patronised to be told that getting out into nature will cure all ills? Is it your instinct to delete or dismiss this blog post? Or does your stomach lurch and your palms sweat as you silently acknowledge that niggling, enduring sense of unease and anxiety that you’ve been unable to shake off since the pandemic hit?

Whichever type of person you are, you might be reassured to know two things: 1) You’re not alone and 2) You’re experiencing a perfectly normal reaction to abnormal circumstances.

As release from lockdown approaches you may have happily booked your longed-for holidays, your favourite table inside a newly opened restaurant, or organised house parties, clubbing, and weekends away with family and loved ones enjoying the freedoms again. On the other hand, you may find yourself preoccupied with checklists, endlessly trying to balance risk vs reward, you may feel a confusing combination of foggy yet racing thoughts, endlessly trying to reconcile your desire to ‘get back out there’ against your rational anxiety at the continued covid -19 risk of transmission. The idea of reverting to pre-Covid behaviour feels unfamiliar and may be daunting.

The past year has taken its toll in myriad ways. If you’ve adjusted with ease to the challenging changes of routines, lifestyles, relationships and income, you’re probably in the minority. Whether you’ve lost family or loved ones to the virus, survived Covid-19, or stringently isolated to avoid it the last year will have been incredibly hard. It’s not surprising that most people have felt a variety of fluctuating feelings. Some have felt lonely, lethargic, and fearful for the future. Others may have experienced agitation, insomnia, exhaustion, irritability, anxiety and/or depression to mention only a few symptoms.

We are coming out of this and medical knowledge of the virus has improved dramatically. Millions of people have already been vaccinated, the transmission rates of Covid-19 in our community continue to decrease and our medical responses are greatly enhanced.

However, if you’re more concerned than excited about the lifting of lockdown, please remember that talking about your concerns will be the first step in managing them.  

Pre-Covid, in any given week, 1 in 6 people reported experiencing common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. When you think of what people have been through in the last year during the pandemic it is likely anxiety and depression will have increased.

Whichever personality type you are, and whatever your concerns or anxieties, it’s always good to have a basic checklist to hand if things get tough.

When you’re faced with uncertainty and powerlessness there are many simple ways to regain some agency and alleviate your distress. Establishing a secure foundation of healthy routines can swiftly transform your mindset and restore balance.

·   Aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Try a gentle routine to wind down by avoiding blue light from screens and phones an hour or two before bed to help your body naturally adjust to its circadian rhythm. 

·   Starting your day naturally, listening to real or recorded birdsong rather than negative news or combative debate can help you set your own agenda and mood for the day.

·   Fresh air, sunlight and exercise not only keep your body and mind fit and topped up with crucial Vitamin D but can also provide companionship if you go out with friends.

·   Routine and regularity can give purpose to a seemingly empty diary, even if it’s something as simple as singing in the shower, walking to collect a coffee or croissant, meditating, or marveling at new spring flowers, lighting a scented candle, or reading a book. It’s a time to try and reconnect with getting pleasure from simple things.

·   Eat a healthy, fulfilling diet that focuses on seasonal, fresh ingredients rather than sugar, fats and carbohydrates which can leave you sluggish and depleted of nutrients.

·    Try online yoga, guided meditations, or various apps for mindfulness. I particularly recommend Yoga with Adriene, available for free on YouTube, guided sleep meditations on doyogawithme.com.

·    Go with the flow. Remember to build flexibility into your plans. If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us it’s that we can now expect the unexpected.

·    Do ask for help from safe credible sources whether you reach out to family, friends or a stranger. Sharing your feelings can help you feel less alone.

Now could be a time to start self-care again. Coming in for a full medical to assess your health can be a way to gain peace of mind and ensure there are no other causes for how you’re feeling.

At Sloane Square Medical, we are here to support you whatever your issues are. You have the option to book an appointment with one of our experienced GP’s or to speak to a psychologist or psychotherapist.

We can help you find a solution and support you.

Anne Waddington, Psychotherapist | BA(Hons), BVC, AdvDip, AdvCert