Note: This article was written for the Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI) in response to COVID-19 and was originally published on Psychology Today. A portion of it is reposted here with the permission of HDI. A link to the full post can be found below.
Though necessary to preserve physical health (both ours and those around us), social distancing takes a toll on our emotional health. And if you are already struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, or other mental health concerns, then social distancing itself may cause a threat to your personal health.
Social distancing inherently makes it harder to access needed support (like close relationships, support meetings, going to the gym, maintaining a structured work/life schedule, financial stability, etc.), and it makes it easier to rely on short-term coping skills (e.g., binging on Netflix) that are less effective and sustainable in the long-term. It may even invite people to neglect self-care altogether (e.g., staying in bed, not showering, sedentary living, relapse “without consequence” or accountability, etc.). Precisely because emotional difficulties tend to thrive in social isolation, it is all the more important that we intentionally care for ourselves.
For specific tips about self-care, you can read the rest of the article at Psychology Today, by clicking here.
Ben is a postdoctoral resident at Artisan, and he works with adolescents and adults encountering a variety of challenges in their lives, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, OCD, history of trauma, addiction, and bipolar disorder. He is particularly interested in faith and spirituality as they arise during the course of therapy. In addition to his clinical work, Ben is interested in International and Community Psychology, which he has used when working in refugee camps and with genocide survivors in Rwanda. In his free time, Ben enjoys getting lost in his thoughts and imagination. Other times, he can be found walking in the woods or by a lake, reading a book, or playing board games with his friends.
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