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Guest post: the importance of mental health during COVID-19

Looking after your mental health has never been as important as during the coronavirus emergency

This is a sponsored guest post from BetterHelp. The views expressed below are not necessarily the views of The Brain Charity and we do not recommend this company over any other.

When it comes to mental health, it’s always important. But during the pandemic it’s even more important. That’s because life has changed for many of us, with plenty of us stuck at home, unable to do anything due to the presence of the coronavirus. If you’re an at-risk person, you can’t go outside either.

That’s why mental health is important, and we’ll go over why taking care of your mental health matters during this time.


It keeps you grounded

Keeping mentally well at home keeps you grounded. There’s a lot going on right now, and a lot of people struggle with keeping it together.

Between the stress of the moment, and the doom and gloom that seems to fill the world, it can be hard to keep it together. But, keeping mentally well during this time makes you stronger, and much happier too.

Can help you stay positive

Being positive during this time may not seem like a useful thing, but if you’re positive, it makes the situation easier.

A lot of people are very quick to feel anxious and depressed, but if you keep a positive mindset, it can make the trouble of the situation even better. Positivity isn’t the only solution, but if you keep positive, it can reduce the panic attacks and stress on the body, making it better for you too.

image of a coffee cup

Keeps you out of your head

Your mind is a powerful thing.

The problem, however, is how it can affect you.

Some people don’t realize that if they fall into the trap of worrying about things, it can make them feel depressed, or even anxious as well.

Your mind is not as stimulated as it normally is. So anxiety, depression, and even just plain boredom will fill your head.

Your mental well-being, if kept at a steady level, can keep you out of your head, and keep you focused on the world around you.

Staying out of your head can stop you from falling into a downward spiral and prevent your mental health from getting worse.

Mental health is a powerful thing. While our physical bodies are important, if our mental health is affected, then our physical health may be affected too, so it’s important to make sure that you take the time and care for your mind as well as your body.

Can help make certain conditions more manageable

There are some conditions, such as fibromyalgia which can affect mental health even when there isn’t a pandemic.

It can be hard if you already life with conditions that put you at risk, and for those with inflammatory conditions, if you’re stressed it can cause flare-ups in the body.

But, with the pandemic still in full swing, for those who already struggled with handling and managing flare-ups will have even more trouble with this, especially with how stressful this can be for the bod8y.

Mental health does affect physical health though, as we’ve mentioned before. So if you want to make fibro more manageable, then you should definitely consider also looking for ways to reduce stress on the mind, as well as the body.

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Helps maintain a better outlook on life

Life is rough, especially during this time.

But mental health, especially when maintained and kept as best as it can be, will help improve your outlook.

While staying inside is kind of a big part of this, learning to talk to others on the phone, through social media apps, or even on calls, can help you.

Engaging in positive self-talk, or even seeing a therapist can help you improve your mental health too.

With mental health kept up, it does spread to others too, so if you know someone who is struggling, getting them to talk about it with you, or keeping a positive energy, can benefit you immensely.

How to improve your mental health

If your mental health is in shambles, you’re not alone.

The pandemic is hard on many, but keeping your mental health up as much as you can, and maintaining solidarity is really good for you.

You can always go to online counselling with BetterHelp to help you through these troubling times. They have counsellors ready to talk to you in any situation, and there are a lot that can listen to your concerns.

If you can’t leave the house or want to limit your time outside the house, this is a great way to get someone to talk to, and it is a wonderful tool which can benefit you.

Remember, your mental health is important, especially during this pandemic.  With proper mental health, you’ll be able to face the unknown, and keep a clear head. And, if you reduce the stressors in life, it can also reduce any inflammatory conditions you may have, which is definitely a plus point. Your mental health matters, so make sure to keep it maintained as much as you can.

The Brain Charity also provides free counselling – face to face, by video call or over the phone – to anyone with a neurological condition and their family members, friends or carers. Email counselling@thebraincharity.org.uk to find out more.

Categories: Advice, Guest blogs

Published: 18 March 2021