Melbourne in August 2020 has been tough for many people. So far, we’ve experienced lock downs for nearly 5 months, wearing masks is now mandatory, and people have lost their freedom, livelihoods and physical connection with those they love. We’re seeing and hearing that more people are struggling to cope with the impact of these changes and the unpredictability of the future.
In this article, we share insights into mental wellness, why and how the pandemic impacts mental wellness, and some techniques and strategies to help you through.
This article will cover:
- How mental wellness exists on a scale
- Why mental illness is just like any other health condition
- What mental illness looks like
- How crises impact the mind
- How humans crave connection – and research on Depression and Anxiety
- Strategies for shifting your mood during lockdown
- How food, movement and sleep can improve your mental wellness
- How to have mental health conversations with others
- Navigating thoughts of suicide – and how to recognise suicide risk in others
- Helpful resources
Mental wellness exists on a scale
Let’s begin with the question, what is mental wellbeing? Mental wellbeing is the wellbeing of your mind, the health of which is determined by a range of characteristics, signs or symptoms. Just like recognising that physical wellbeing means you have energy, feel fit and strong and have healthy digestion, for example, mental wellbeing is influenced by clarity of thought, stable emotions, regulated moods. It encompasses our social, emotional and psychological wellbeing.
Any deviation from these healthy states can mean that mental wellbeing is compromised. Just like with physical health, a sliding scale exists between health and disease. While some people have clinically diagnosable conditions, others may experience mild, infrequent or circumstantial periods of mental illness, which we’re seeing a rise in at the moment.
Mental illness is just like any other health condition
Unfortunately, a stigma around mental health has long existed in society, even in the medical industry. Often those suffering don’t feel like they can talk about their mental health, or don’t get the support they need. This can make them feel more alienated, often pushing them into deeper realms of poorer health.
Mental illness is an illness just like any other health complaint or injury. You wouldn’t feel uncomfortable having a conversation about someone’s broken leg, we imagine. And much like for someone with a broken leg, anxiety, depression or other mood disorder, patients need professional support to heal as well as the love and support of friends and family. They did not choose to feel this way. The person suffering deserves the same degree of care and support that any other patient would get (including flowers!).
What do mental health issues look like? Understanding anxiety and depression
The most common mental health issues around at present are depression and anxiety. Given that both health issues are rarely spoken about or understood among people, knowing what both look and feel like is important to determine whether you or loved ones are experiencing either, or both.
What does anxiety look and feel like? Some of the emotional symptoms of anxiety are:
- fear
- worry
- panic
- decreased concentration
- confusion
- OCD behaviours
- sleep disturbance
Physical expressions can include:
- a pounding heart
- chest pain
- blushing
- dizziness
- headache
- perspiration
- nausea
- diarrhoea
- tension in the muscles around the neck, shoulders and back
Symptoms of depression are quite different and are known to impact more on a person’s mood wellbeing. They might display as:
- withdrawal from social activities
- sleeping too much (or too little)
- crying
- displaying feelings of helplessness or irritability or worry
- displaying anger or mood swings
- being pessimistic
- losing interest in their appearance, and other similar symptoms of withdrawal and sadness
How crises impact the mind
Before we dive into mental wellness strategies and how to have supportive conversations with loved ones, let’s take a moment to explore the human mind, and why an event like the 2020 pandemic can have such a great (and perhaps unexpected) impact.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology that represents a hierarchy of motivations of humans based on their status in life. Conceptually, a human must first meet the needs at the base of the pyramid before moving up to the next tier.
The first two tiers identify basic human safety and survival – food, water, warmth, rest, security and safety. The next two tiers identify belonging; first to friendships and community, then to feelings of self-accomplishment and self esteem. Finally, at the top of the pyramid we see self-actualisation.
Understanding that one cannot attempt to fulfil self-actualisation if food or income is limited makes sense. With that in mind, for many who have previously been entrepreneurial, studious, adventurous or otherwise, a sudden and distinct separation from that former version of self has led us back to those foundational tiers of the hierarchy.
This alone can create a lot of internal conflict – ‘who am I now?’ will be challenging many, as will the very primary need to provide the basics for survival. To understand this can help us allow space, and even give ourselves permission to sit in the space of basic survival. In doing so, we can disentangle our egos from our ideal reality versus our actual reality.
Humans are tribal, connected creatures. We crave connection. We aren’t designed to be isolated
Social isolation has often been used as a form of torture or punishment, and is well recognised as having an impact on a person’s mental health. Studies have found that numerous adults who have no history of mental health problems develop psychological symptoms in solitary confinement.
Author, speaker and researcher of depression and anxiety, Johann Hari, has presented his findings into the real causes of anxiety and depression. He has travelled the world, studied many varied social structures and communities, and conducted clinical testing to arrive at his findings of what really drives depression.
In his work he identified 9 factors causing depression. Seven are psychosocial, and two are biological. He describes them as:
- Disconnection from work that gives meaning and purpose (little control or autonomy in your work)
- Disconnection from people (feeling profoundly lonely). Not sharing any meaningful experience with any other people
- Disconnection from meaningful values. Focusing on materialism, and doing things purely for extrinsic rewards instead of intrinsic reward
- Disconnection caused by childhood trauma. Every traumatic experience you go through as a child significantly increases the likelihood of a later diagnosis of depression
- Disconnection from respect. Modern life cultivates the view that status, celebrity and wealth are what denote success. Anxiety over the loss of financial security and status often cause constant stress in people
- Disconnection from the natural world. Faced with the vista of the natural world we feel ‘small’ not ‘big’, and we feel like we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. Animals in captivity rock back and forth, lose interest in sex (which is why they are so hard to breed in captivity) and show other compulsive and depressive behaviors they don’t exhibit in the wild. We are animals. We need to be outdoors. Rates of depression when exercising in the natural world, and spending time outdoors all reduce in comparison to time spent inside. We often feel ‘more alive’ and grounded when outdoors in nature
- Disconnection from loss of hope for a better future
- The role of genes and biology in depression. Neuroplasticity means the brain is continually growing and changing and does not stay the same. Therefore, the concept of a ‘broken’ brain that cannot be fixed is not supported by current scientific evidence. However, distress from the external world and brain changes occur together which lead to depression. Johann Hari in his book “Lost Connections” on page 146, says that these changes in the brain can then “acquire a momentum of their own that deepens the effects from the outside world.”
If you review the list of findings of Hari, the word or theme you’ll see that most occurs is ‘disconnection’. We’re experiencing disconnection in a multitude of ways right now, from currently physically disconnected – from family, friends, workmates and even with masks from those we pass on our daily walk, to experiencing a loss of connection to purpose if your job has been lost. You may also have a disconnection from nature with the instructions to stay mostly indoors.
We only need to look at those factors to realise it’s quite reasonable to be having psychological responses to our conditions, thoughts and environment.
Strategies for mental health during a pandemic
The field of positive psychology aligns with many of Johann Hari’s findings and offers support to those who have had socially restrictive conditions imposed upon them.
Practicing gratitude
It’s said that where your focus goes, your thoughts follow. Focusing on gratitude is a big contributor to a sense of happiness in life. While times can be tough, we can still be grateful for the little things in life that are often the most important.
Spending time each day writing down what you’re grateful for, or in those moments when you’re down, thinking of things you’re grateful for, can make a big difference in your mood and perspective. Your gratitude list could include things like being grateful for your favourite cup of tea, the beautiful secluded park down the road, having fresh clean linen, or appreciating the humour of a loved one.
Keeping a book or journal of all the things you’re grateful for can be a great source of comfort, reminding you of all the things you have in your life to be thankful for. Add to your book when you think of something new, and read over your list when you’re feeling low.
Chasing happiness can lead to distress
Happiness is part of a process, not an outcome. We all experience a range of emotions ranging from joy to anger and all the colours in between. It’s widely thought that positive thinking is the antidote to suffering negative emotions, and that we must always try to stay in a state of happiness. This suggests that we just have to think positively to get there. Trying to think positively often leads to more frustration, as we compare our state of discontent with what we believe is the ideal.
Such a thing exists as ‘positive toxicity’ – being positive at all costs. The reality is that our emotions are reflective of our thoughts, that are typically dictated by our environment. The answer isn’t to ignore those feelings and just think good thoughts. Often, it’s about recognising those thoughts and feelings as being valid (even if many of those thoughts may not be true), then seeking to understand, or discuss with someone to transform them to let them go.
Our negative thoughts are simply feedback, just like our positive thoughts. Both are valid, and valuable, as they tell us where we need to draw our focus to get more, or less, of what we’re experiencing. Sometimes we need to process our thoughts and emotions in order to move on from them.
This doesn’t mean we can’t use strategies to shift our mood to a more positive state at times. Perhaps you might not be in the right frame of mind to process these thoughts, and so the following strategies can cause a helpful circuit break to allow us space and emotional respite.
Minding your mind
As your thoughts are influenced by your environment and what you’re exposed to, it pays to set some boundaries around what you will and won’t do for the wellness of your mind.
For example, limiting exposure to the news, social media, and other stress-inducing things is worth exploring. Choosing to disengage from conversations that are stressful for you may be necessary.
Sharing these boundaries with those around you will help them understand and support you in protecting your mental wellbeing. A simple statement like ‘So I can maintain my mental wellbeing right now, I’m choosing not to engage in discussions about, or consume negative media around the pandemic. Thanks for supporting me and understanding’ or something along those lines.
Focus instead on consuming positive or nourishing content instead – this could be an adventurous fiction book, or perhaps expanding your knowledge around health and wellbeing or another topic of interest.
Other proven ways to improve mental health during a pandemic
Overall wellbeing can be boosted by simply giving hugs which releases stress-busting, mood enhancing oxytocin. Intentionally cultivating a positive mood by practicing gratitude, and performing acts of kindness can also elicit the same physiological response. These are all ways that you can modify your behaviour and outlook to nurture a deeper and more profound sense of wellbeing.
Reconnecting in as many ways as possible is also vital. If we look back at those identified disconnection points above, where can we pivot or adjust to find ways to access them?
A daily walk is allowed, so if you can access grass, try going barefoot to get more in touch with nature. Practice ‘shinrin-yoku’ – AKA forest bathing, which is the Japanese practice of taking in nature through all your senses – a mindful practice that calms your nervous system and mind.
Staying in regular contact with friends, workmates or family is also important. Scheduling regular chats or zooms with those who make you feel connected and supported not only makes you feel connected, it gives you something to look forward to .
Having a solid self care routine is also helpful for maintaining good mental health. Perhaps set yourself a goal – nothing overwhelming – that you can work towards. That could be doing 10 minutes of meditation daily, writing one letter a week, or moving your body a certain way each day.
Recognise that each of us will experience this situation differently
Health coach Bee had two conversations with patients recently that really spoke to perception and how personal values can play such a critical role in your experience.
In one situation, a patient spent their early childhood in a war-torn country. It was described as a horrific and terrifying environment where at any moment, your house could be under threat. The parents bravely found a way to bring the family to safety, and the scars of those early years have had a significant impact on this person. They were saying that their parents are completely unphased by what is going on right now – there are no bombs, our house is not under attack, it is just isolation.
Under the very same roof, the patient explained that whilst there were no bombs, one of the things that made them feel most safe in the war-torn country was that the family, including cousins and probably neighbours, could huddle together and physically and emotionally support each other. That real sense of being in this together was what mattered more, and so this person is most struggling with the isolation of the current climate.
Another patient has a spouse who is currently interstate. They haven’t seen each other in person for months. They have a successful business, plenty of wealth to share (and they do), food, cars, etc. The Melbourne-based spouse was saying that they felt alone and lonely as they are removed from their partner, even though the partner who is away working on the business feels confident and fine because for them, material wealth, therefore safety, is most important to feel OK.
For one person, physical and emotional connection supercedes material wealth in this context. We could reasonably assess that the spouse in lockdown is in one of the foundational tiers of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, therefore valuing basic safety and connection above expansion and business success.
