Exit restrictions and concern for relatives: The Covid 19 pandemic is affecting the mind.
The following tips from an expert will help you stay confident.
There are a number of things that can be done to keep things good despite the current situation.
A behavior therapist explains how you can keep a cool head in the face of adverse circumstances.
You can also find out here how people with mental health problems such as depression * overcome the difficult times.
Update from October 29th, 2020: Lockdown Light in November 2020 - this is how we survive it
From November 2, 2020, there will be stricter rules again in Germany to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Cinemas, fitness studios, restaurants and cosmetic studios have to close and citizens are encouraged to limit contacts, excursions and trips to the bare minimum.
That hits the mind.
Especially now in winter it is therefore important to be outside in the fresh air as often as possible, to exchange ideas with others and to lift the mood with funny films and a new hobby
.
Behavioral therapist Heike Winter explains below in the text what is also helpful.
Article of April 6th
, 2020: Since Sunday, March 22nd, 2020, strict exit
restrictions
have been in place for all of Germany.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on all citizens to leave apartments and houses only if necessary.
It is possible to go to the grocery store, to the doctor or to work, but a distance of at least 1.5 meters to other people should be maintained.
Strange measures that save lives
: According to the federal government, the main goal is to slow the spread of the new lung disease Covid-19.
This is best done through isolation, as the coronavirus spreads through droplet infection *.
It is therefore currently urgently recommended that you avoid social contacts where possible *.
Family get-togethers, cozy evenings with friends, visits to restaurants or team sports:
all of these and similar activities are currently not possible, which significantly dampens the mood
.
Then there is the bad news in the news about rising Covid-19 cases and collapsing health systems in other countries.
How can you stay confident?
A therapist gives answers.
Therapist advises: make plans, make phone calls, create structure
Heike Winter is a practicing behavioral therapist in Offenbach and President of the Hesse Chamber of Psychotherapists.
She recommends the following strategies to cope with the current situation and the uncertainty that comes with it
:
Creating a feeling of security
: "Avoid crowds, strictly adhere to the tips on how to behave in relation to Corona. That creates a feeling of security for us," said Winter in an interview with Hessenschau.de.
Deal with the facts without panicking
: "I can now look at the tiny bar of deaths, or I can look at the - measured by this - very, very large bar of cases in which the virus is absolutely harmless *. It is important to be clear: I always have a choice which of the bars to look at. Because once I start thinking like this, it triggers physical reactions in us. Stress hormones are released and so on. "
Planning the "time afterwards"
: Those who make plans can look forward to something.
Accordingly, behavior therapist Winter advises using the time at home to find out for yourself what is important to you and then to make plans for the time after the crisis.
Creating structure
: "Work gives us the feeling of self-affirmation. It is important to be aware afterwards that you have achieved something," says Winter.
She recommends developing routines.
Even if you work in the home office, you should still set your alarm clock in the morning, brush your teeth and not sit in front of the laptop in sweatpants.
Anyone looking for tasks at home, such as cleaning the refrigerator or setting up shelves, creates structure.
Do sports
: Even if there are strict exit restrictions: Outdoor sports are still possible, even if only alone or in pairs, if the person accompanying you lives in the same household as you.
When doing outdoor sports, you should keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from others.
Video portals such as YouTube make it possible to work out at home *: There are various training instructions from yoga to Pilates to back training.
Exchange ideas
: Skype, telephone, WhatsApp - even if you cannot be physically close, there is still the possibility to hear and / or see friends and family and to give each other different thoughts.
Video and telephone consultation hours for people with mental illness
The current situation, which brings a lot of insecurity and social isolation, hits people with mental health problems even harder than mentally healthy people.
That is why psychotherapists, like doctors, are among the professional groups who continue to work to ensure patient care
.
Those who are already doing psychotherapy or behavioral therapy can in many cases continue with it as usual.
Simply contact your therapist and discuss the further course of therapy with him or her.
Many therapists also offer telephone and video consultation hours.
"
Even people who have not yet started any therapy can still start one,
" says behavioral therapist Heike Winter.
Do you suspect that you are suffering from depression *?
The Deutsche Depressionshilfe offers the opportunity to find out about treatment options on 0800/33 44 533.
The iFightDepression Tool from Deutsche Depressionshilfe provides support for those who want to do something independently to overcome a mild depression.
Read more
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When is Hypochondria a Dangerous Disorder?
*
Merkur.de belong to the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editorial network
.
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