Pandemics, earthquakes, and hurricanes are not just the stuff of disaster movies. They are real threats, and they can have a profound impact on our everyday lives. When disaster strikes, the immediate concerns are obvious: can we survive this? Can we get help? But another, more subtle concern can strike you as soon as you hear the news: How will we cope, and how can we protect our loved ones? Here are tips for keeping your sanity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Model a healthy behavior
Model healthy behavior in the middle of a pandemic is like playing Russian roulette with a gun that is already loaded. On the other hand, if you are like most people, you still need to know how to respond to the first signs of an impending pandemic.
• Practice Good habits
Good habits promote good physical and mental health. They reduce stress, take pressure off vital organs, reduce colds and flu, boost the immune system, and improve mood. It is true that seemingly small changes in behavior can have a big impact on one’s health.
• Seek help if you need it to
The time to prepare for a pandemic is now, not during a pandemic. You can help protect yourself from the flu and other viral infections by making yourself smarter, healthier, and more resilient to illness. One of the biggest challenges that people face during a pandemic is not knowing what to do. Staying calm, and knowing what is going on, is very important. There is no one way to keep yourself sane during a pandemic. We are all different and have different habits and even different personalities, which can make it hard to cope when things go bad. We have different coping styles, and you and probably all of us have different friends and family who are best suited to help us during a crisis. If you’re lucky, you have someone you can turn to. But if you are unlucky, you may struggle alone, and you never find out what you could have done to keep your sanity.