Nonstop coverage of COVID-19 on nearly every television station is stress-inducing to say the least. For those of us who are vulnerable to depression or similar mental health conditions, the constant barrage of news and death counts can feel intense and overwhelming. This, coupled with the sudden isolation caused by quarantine, may trigger a mental health crisis. So if you are struggling with sadness, anxiety, or fear during this difficult time, you may benefit from major depression treatment. Reach out to a mental health treatment facility like True Life Center for help. We’re here to help you face the challenge and move through it with understanding, compassion, and self-love.
Caring for Your Mental Health During COVID-19
Even during quarantine, there are steps you can take to protect and preserve your mental health. These steps don’t even require you to leave home and risk exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Rather, they are aimed at helping you manage your own symptoms with compassionate, caring guidance and preventing a mental health crisis that requires hospitalization. If you are already in treatment for depression, continue to heed the recommendations of your mental health professional and also consider the following options:
Continue Your Normal Medication Regimen
If you’re currently taking prescribed medications for depression treatment, it’s important to stay on the regimen your doctor recommends. Take stock of the medications you have on-hand, and be sure to refill ones that are low. Continue your medications as recommended throughout your time in quarantine. If you become ill with the COVID-19 virus, speak with a physician about the medications you are currently taking before using additional flu remedies, as medications like these may not interact well with one another.
Stay in Touch With Your Mental Health Care Provider
Don’t let fears about exposure to the virus keep you from getting the help you need. Providers are adapting to provide essential mental health services even now. So it may not be necessary to schedule an office visit for depression treatment. Many mental health treatment centers are updating their treatment models to offer telehealth services to patients isolated by quarantine. As a result, there may be a telehealth number you can call to receive mental health services from home. Your insurance provider often helps cover the costs.
Lean on Family
If you are quarantined with a partner, spouse, or children, take this time to reconnect. Try not to spend all day in separate rooms, on separate screens. Instead, schedule fun family bonding activities such as making meals together or playing board games. Talk, laugh, and share with the supportive people around you. This vital thread of connection will boost your mood and help take your focus off the sadness you may be feeling.
Stay Connected With Friends
If you are not quarantined with a supportive network of family or friends, use other means as ways of staying connected with the most supportive people in your life. This may mean video chatting, calling on the phone, emailing, or even playing virtual games together. It’s important not to let yourself feel isolated and alone during the quarantine.
Take Care of Your Mental Health
Cultivating a regular practice of at-home therapies such as meditation and mindfulness during the quarantine will help you find centeredness and balance. Other simple at-home or near-home therapies may include:
- Yoga therapy
- Aromatherapy
- Massage therapy
- Art and music therapy
- Measured breathing
Anything that can help induce relaxation and reduce levels of stress and anxiety is a key ally and resource for you at this time. Treatments like these are conducive to relieving the symptoms of depression right from your living room or backyard.
Depression Treatment During COVID-19
If you suffer from depression or a related mental health disorder, it’s important to maintain daily recovery practices. The lifestyle changes taking place due to COVID-19 can feel extremely disruptive, but as someone in recovery, it’s more important than ever to prioritize your mental health. If you need help, reach out to our mental health treatment staff to find the right treatment options for you and help you take the first steps towards recovery.
If you’re feeling down or low, you’re not alone. More than 17 million Americans suffer from depression in this country. But it’s a highly treatable condition, especially when you’re surrounded by a supportive, encouraging team of professionals who want to see you win. Many who seek depression treatment experience a complete recovery. If you feel ready to find the right providers and work through your depression, contact our mental health treatment facility at True Life Center at 866.420.1792. We have the tools, and we’re ready to help you on the path to finding fulfillment and stability through embracing your authentic self.
