This post was written by Marie Miguel, who has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
Let’s face it: life sucks right now. If you’re reading this near the time it’s posted, there’s a good chance your kids have to stay home due to school closures. You may live in an area where all the recreational places have been ordered to closed or are closing voluntarily. The weather is warming us, but many things we’re taking for granted seem to be going away.
There are many ways to keep yourself sane. Cook healthier foods (the good thing about places closing is less chances of unhealthy fast food!) spend time with your kids, and try to make the best out of it. With all that said, your mental health may still be at risk, especially if you’re prone to depression from being inside all the time, or anxiety from hearing all the news.
One way you can get the help you need is through online therapy. This involves connecting to a counsellor or therapist remotely. That’s right, you can speak to a real, live therapist and not worry about catching a virus through your screen.
Here are some ways that online therapy can help you.
Keeps you and your kids from tearing each other apart
You love your kids, and they love you (at least most of the time) but these times will test your patience. You may have to be at home with them for who knows how long, and this can cause much fighting. Your kids may be frustrated at not seeing their friends. They may be happy that there’s no school, but for how long? It’s common for family fights to happen at times like this.
Remember that everyone needs some time to themselves, and to respect that. With that said, if you find that you’re butting heads with your kids, your spouse, or other family members, a family therapist or counsellor can help. They’re a good mediator for any family feud, teaching you how you can kiss, make up, and avoid conflict in the future.
Helping you reach your goals, new or old
One problem with quarantine is that it’s causing some people to miss out on their goals. This can impede your progress with your career, with your family trips, and various other goals. However, there are still goals you can reach. Home improvements are possible during this time. You can use this opportunity as a chance to start that work from home business.
Many counsellors and therapists work with helping you reach your goals. When you want to reach a goal, they help to break that goal down into simpler, easier to digest ways. In addition, they can help you by improving your mental health and giving you the drive to accomplish those goals.
Improving your mental state
As mentioned, this is a time where you may feel mentally unwell due to anxiety, depression, or just the general unhappiness of being trapped in your bloody house all day. This is when it’s time to give your mental health a boost. A counsellor or therapist can help you by setting some mental health goals. There are still some ways you can exercise and eat right during this pandemic. There are still some ways that you can go outside without any risk.
A therapist can help with anxiety, depression, or any other problem that ails you. Besides that, they can teach you how to avoid episodes in the future. For example, you can identify any triggers that lead to anxiety. Odds are, it may be coming from that one friend in Facebook who keeps saying we’re all going to die. Learning to use social media a little less, but while still staying informed, is a wise lesson to learn, especially in this time of uncertainty.
Communication from anywhere, anytime
The best reason for online therapy during this time is that you can talk to a licensed therapist or counsellor from anywhere at any time. This becomes more useful as you can no longer visit places and your schedule is more hectic than ever.
We know that you may be going batty because of this problem, but hang in there.
You can get through this.