It is disheartening to acknowledge that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and wellness, for many of us, has taken a beating. Perhaps you have been struggling with a condition that has been intensified as of late; maybe you’re experiencing the onset of a type of mental illness because of the pandemic situation itself.
Regardless of the specific timeline of any mental health issues you may be experiencing, I think it is safe to say that the status of our mental wellbeing has been influenced by a variety of factors stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, hence the relevance and further the significance of practicing mental health check ins.
The thought of a mental health check in might seem intimidating, but I can assure you that is isn’t. In fact, it’s the complete opposite, and rather than instilling fear in us, the idea should serve as a form of comfort.
A mental health check in can be done for ourselves and for others, and it can be as simple as taking a few minutes to assess our own well-being, or having a phone conversation or a FaceTime call with someone. The same questions can be used for self check-ins as well as checking in on a friend or family member, and they can be as simple as ‘how are you feeling emotionally lately’ or ‘how can I be of help or support to myself or you right now?’
Paying attention to our mental health is an incredibly beneficial practice to engage in during normal circumstances, but especially right now. A text message, note, video chat or even a porch drop-off could be all it takes to give someone a much needed emotional boost, and some of us have never needed as much support as we do right now.
ontheedgeofeverything 