How to beat the blues when self-isolating

Top tips to keep yourself occupied when in isolation

With the country on lockdown now and people either self-distancing or self-isolating due to coronavirus, what can you do to stop this having a negative impact on your mental health?

While it is important to take all the appropriate measures to keep yourself and others around you safe, it is also important not to panic and let negative thoughts overcome you.

If you are staying at home and avoiding other people it might be more of a challenge to take care of your mental health and well being.

Stay connected with family and friends. Set up video calls with people who you normally see in person, or organise online group chats to stay connected with each other. Try to connect to other people in the same situation as yourself on online support groups.

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Deciding on your routine might also help with your mental well being.

Try to follow your ordinary routine as much as possible. Get up at your usual time and follow your normal morning routine and go to bed at your normal time. If you live with other people it may help to agree on a household routine and try to respect each others privacy and space.

Exercise is a great way to take care of your mental health, so trying to be active throughout your daily routine will have a positive impact on your mental well being.

With gyms and leisure centres shut, and most of us don't have a treadmill or gym equipment at home, there are still activities that we can do at home to keep us on the move, such as cleaning the house or dancing to music.

Spending time in the fresh air can also improve your mood, relax you and reduce feelings of stress, anger or anxiety.

If you don’t have access to a outdoor space it is still possible to get these positive effects from inside you house, spend time with the windows open to let in fresh air, arrange a comfortable space to sit where you can see a view of trees, wildlife or the sky.

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Find ways to relax. Listen to music, do some arts or crafts or even a spot of meditation and keep your mind stimulated by learning a new skill like knitting, learning a new language or read a book and take up that hobby or project that you have been meaning to do.

It is important to your mental well being to take care with news and information.

We all want to stay up to date with current events, but be careful where you get your news and health information from - if news stories are making you worried or anxious try limiting the amount you look at for a while.

Social media can be great for keeping in touch with family and friends, but take a break or limit how much you use it. A constant stream of information can be overwhelming.

If you are feeling anxious, try talking to a friend or relative, use breathing techniques to try and calm yourself, exercises like yoga and meditation can also help.

Don't try to do everything at once. Set yourself small goals that you can easily achieve, don’t focus on things that you cannot change, focus your energy on making yourself feel better and try not to tell yourself that you are alone, most people experience anxiety at some points in their lives.

If you need to talk to someone you can call Breathing Space on 0800 838587 or the Samaritans on 116 123.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspapers; the Fife Free Press, Fife Herald, St Andrews Citizen, East Fife Mail and Glenrothes Gazette.

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Thank you

Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press