Building healthy routines to maintain mental health after lockdown

It’s without doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge effect on our lives. Many of us face challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming, and provoke strong emotions in adults and children.

Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will help you, your loved ones, and the people with whom you are in contact to develop greater resilience.

• Take care of your body
• Try to eat healthy foods and well-balanced meals
• Take breaks and stop watching, reading, or listening to the news. This includes social media. It’s okay to be informed, but constantly hearing news about the pandemic can be distressing. Consider limiting watching the news to just a few times a day and disconnecting from phone, television, and computer screens for a while
• Take deep breaths, stretching exercises, or meditation.
• Get regular exercise
• Sleep well.
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.

Taking care of yourself can better prepare you to be able to care for other people. It is particularly important to stay connected with your friends and family. Helping other people cope with stress through phone calls or video calls can help you and your loved ones feel less alone and isolated.

• If you are having a hard time coping with stress, there may be ways to get help. If stress keeps you from going about your normal life for several days in a row, contact your healthcare provider.

• In times of extreme stress, people can have suicidal thoughts. Suicide can be prevented and help is available. You can find more information about suicide risk, the signs to watch for, and how to respond if you notice these signs in yourself or a friend or loved one here.

• Free and confidential crisis coping resources can also help you or your loved ones by contacting a trained therapist in your area.
• There are telephone and online support services for people affected by mental health issues, with targeted services on particular issues or for particular groups in the community.

Remember that there will always be someone who can help you! If your query is urgent, please contact 000 or Lifeline – 13 11 14, or attend Emergencies at the nearest hospital

SANE Australia – 1800 18 7263 https://www.sane.org/services/help-centre/content/2

Beyond Blue – 1300 22 46 36 https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

kids helpline 1800 551 800

MensLine Australia en 1300 789 978

Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

Headspace – 1800 650 890 https://headspace.org.au/

Head to Health – https://headtohealth.gov.au/

Black Dog Institute – https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/