The importance of caring for mental health in the face of the second year of the pandemic

Although the first wave of coronavirus infections was the one that posed the greatest challenge when adapting to a situation new and unprecedented, in the second year of the pandemic it is necessary not to neglect everything related to health mental.

And it is that many times, problematic contexts that last for many months are especially good at exploiting our vulnerabilities, among other things because we underestimate them and think we get used to them, without being aware of how we are doing wearing down.

Therefore, in this article we will see several elements of mental health to which we must pay special attention if we do not want the second year of the pandemic to lead us to develop psychological problems.

• Related article: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

Aspects of mental health to continue taking care of in the face of the pandemic

These are the mental health elements to take care of and prioritize especially during the second year of the pandemic.

1. Managing anxiety

Anxiety is the inseparable companion of the coronavirus pandemic. Both COVID-19 itself and the consequences derived from its economic and social impact have made many people notice that their lives are reeling, and before this, it is easy for your nervous system to always be in "vigilance" mode to react quickly to the slightest sign that something around us is wrong.

Now, although as individuals we cannot do anything so that the COVID-19 crisis makes us go through moments difficult, we can change the way we manage our emotions and our behavior patterns when faced with is. And that happens by knowing how to give an adaptive outlet to anxiety.

• You may be interested in: "The 6 benefits of developing tolerance for frustration"

2. Managing loneliness

The tendency to adopt more solitary habits is still present even if “hard” containment plans are no longer carried out. The wear and tear produced by having hardly been going to meetings with family and friends for many months can take their toll, especially in people who are more extroverted and more used to face-to-face treatment.

3. Self-care

In many cases, changing lifestyle habits creates the right situations for us to abandon ourselves more and more, neglecting our physical and mental health. By losing the references of what we had already become accustomed to doing, such as work schedules outside the home and activity routines with friends, Indecision leads us to passivity, and this, to internalize new customs that we accept only because "they are given to us" and they are easy to carry out. Staying up late watching videos on the Internet, eating a lot between meals, spending hours in front of the television ...

Given this, it is necessary to know how to follow a certain discipline when structuring the day to day and not constantly postpone what we really should do for our good.

4. Managing expectations

Both work and personal expectations must be readjusted to adapt to the context of the pandemic. During the first months of the coronavirus crisis, concerns were focused on the short term: the need to address an unprecedented health crisis, the risk of losing your source of income in a matter of a few weeks, problems when traveling, etc.

Now, however, is the time to adapt to a post-COVID-19 reality, which means modifying our long-term plans, for better and for worse. New business models that take advantage of the Internet, savings plans to prevent problems in cases of other waves of infections, etc. All this makes it necessary combine anxiety management with strategic thinking and decision making from rationality, which can be complex.

5. The dynamics of coexistence

Finally, we cannot forget that the emotional exhaustion produced by a pandemic context multiplies if it affects our coexistence with others. Problems to manage discussions effectively, mismanagement of time together, communication failures ... We must also know how to adapt to the social dimension of the coronavirus crisis.

Do you want to start going to psychological therapy?

If there are aspects of your day to day that cause you emotional discomfort or you have noticed that the way you face the challenges in your life brings you problems, get in touch with us.

On PSiCOBAi We serve people of all ages and offer psychotherapy in face-to-face (in Majadahonda) and online (through video call sessions).

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Madrid: Panamericana.
• Cacioppo, J.; Hawkley, L. (2010). Loneliness Matters: A Theorectical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 40 (2): 218 - 227.
• Clariana, S.M. and De los Ríos, P. (2012). Health Psychology. CEDE PIR Preparation Manual, 04. CEDE: Madrid.
• Santos, J.L. (2012). Psychopathology. CEDE PIR Preparation Manual, 01. CEDE. Madrid.
• Solomon, C. (2015): Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The New England Journal of Medicine, 373 (21): pp. 2059 - 2068.
• Sum, S.; Mathews, R.; Hughes, I.; Campbell, A, (2008). Internet Use and Loneliness in Older Adults. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11 (2): pp. 208 - 211.