5 Ways to Lift Your Mood During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Because I can hard use some good vibes right now.

Coronavirus disease

Let's be real: Staying positive can be difficult even in the best of times - and now that we're in the midst of an epidemic, it can seem almost impossible to keep a happy (or honestly, even sober) attitude. As a very positive person overall (editor's note: this is true - sometimes angrily so), I have also come to know that the rising death toll, the collapse of the economy, and a leader Searching for the smallest silver lining between asks about injecting disinfectant. (Please do not do that, by the way!)

Thankfully, I have a permanent weekly therapy appointment - but I recently started working for the first time on a phone with Shannon O'Neill (no relation), PhD, a very positive, pleasant therapist ( Honestly, a wonderful way to start) your day), to ask what can help lift our mood during such a time on earth.

Interestingly, Drs. O'Neill, who is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, pointed out that maintaining peace in people during this epidemic is one of the reasons it really compels many of us. Practices that are typical of depression. "A lot of the rules are mimicking the symptoms of depression," O'Neill says. "Think about it: People are being instructed to isolate themselves from loved ones and spend most of their time inside, having little contact with the outside world. (To be clear, indoors Living does not cause depression, but many social distancing rules that we assume to protect others may look like symptoms of depression. It is also important: those currently dealing with depression, or others who Already. Dealt with it, may feel the extra challenge right now.)

Nevertheless, Drs. O'Neill gave me some suggestions on how to elevate our mood even just a little bit. Here are some (super simple) exercises done each day to keep your spirits stable when things are decidedly unstable.

1. Ask what made you happy before this started, then do more of it.

It is really challenging to remember a time before all this madness started, but it might be helpful to ask your usual routine, pre-pandemic, and question what it was that makes you enjoy. It will certainly vary for everyone: it may include spending time with your family members, engaging in a good workout, or engaging with your spirituality (for me, it goes on).

Once you recognize what has brought you happiness before all this, plan to do it more. "It sounds simple, [but] it's a kind of treatment," Dr. Says O'Neill. I'm adding an extra 15 minutes to my outdoor run, or my time is spent on the elliptical if it's raining outside, but you can FaceTime your sister a few times a week or increase your workout an extra 30 minutes Can. Think about what you like — and then use it more.

2. Remind yourself of all you have to be thankful for.

Bad news is everywhere right now, and if you spend any time on the Internet, you are going to face a lot of horrific reports. But you can deliberately try to balance the scale of positive and negative news in your life.

For this, Drs. O'Neill recommended an app called Three Good Things, which I downloaded shortly after talking to him. The app, she says, will remind you to log three things you're thankful for every day (think journaling, but on your phone instead.)

There is no shame in keeping it simple, Dr. O'Neill said, explaining that you don't have to come up with three big wins every day - only three parts of your day that went well (mine: my mom is currently baking her oatmeal cake- My favorite one). If technology is not your thing, try writing them down in a notebook, or just stop mentally calculating the three things you are grateful for.

3. Treat yourself—especially first thing in the morning.

Being stuck in quarantine can cause a feeling of recurrence. Getting up and doing the same thing from day to day can be both exhaustion and irritability, especially in the morning, when your 're-waking up to this bizarre reality.

A good way to counter this can be to treat yourself with some bad behavior when you are going about your morning routine. Dr. O'Neill recommends trying something you wouldn't normally consider yourself, such as a new breakfast recipe or coffee creamer, for example, or a spa-like shower instead of your usual 15-minute rinse, You start your day. With a positive attitude. You can start your day with morning meditation (like me).

4. Use any pent-up energy to your creative advantage.

I know: You had a lot of people who were just asking you to start a puzzle or something. But actually doing something creative can help you through this troubled time because it distracts you, especially if you pick up a creative practice that forces you to learn a new skill. Dr. "Creativity helps you grab your attention," says O'Neill. If you keep meaning to teach yourself how to knit, then work on the coloring book you've got for Christmas, or dig into more creative writing (guilty!), Now it's time to jump into it.

Said that any creative activity you do, do not involve it in competitive practice. Dr. O'Neill stresses that trying new things can be a refreshing distraction, that it is important not to get caught in the comparison trap that you are spending your quarantine time with other people, How are you spending time with him? Your number one priority right now (and always, to be honest) is to keep yourself healthy and run well - not to get ahead of the rest of the world.

5. Schedule time to worry (because you're going to do it anyway).

It may seem counterproductive at first, but if done correctly it can actually help you to feel less anxious. Anxiety is Time, an evidence-based practice used by some patients with anxiety, Drs. Says O'Neill. But this does not mean that you can choose random times throughout the day to listen to the news of the day. Instead, practice hinges on structure: choose a 20-minute time slot each day to allow yourself to worry. Expand as much as you can - you can even plan on which chair you will sit in and what you will do during this time (such as journaling). Use your allotted worry time to fret about whatever is bothering you, but set a timer so that you can detect it when the worry time runs out.

The only key at the time of worry is concern - it is not necessary if you allow yourself to worry for the rest of the day. If something gets anxious later in the day after you already have your scheduled worry time, remind yourself that you can worry about this new problem, but you should do so during the next day's worry time Have to do. There is a chance that you may have already forgotten about the next day's worrying time - which may also tell you how insignificant it was in the first place.