How you react to difficult situations can make a big difference on your
well-being
The pandemic has
undoubtedly taken a toll on our mental health. While difficult circumstances
such as these are often beyond our control, how we react to them can make a big
difference on our well-being.
To help Filipinos protect
their health, AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers,
recently held a webinar entitled “Care for your mental health in the new
normal,” featuring keynote speaker Dr. Gia Sison, a mental wellness advocate
and the Philippine leader of the Live Strong Foundation.
“In the time of COVID, we
feel [more] anxious, and there’s heightened emotions as we transition to the
new normal. There’s also the additional threat of isolation and loneliness,”
she said.
To address these
concerns, the AXA webinar shared mental wellness tips for people to adapt now
and in the future:
Keep a gratitude journal. Even when
faced with negative situations, you should also recognize that positive things are
still happening -- even during a pandemic. Be intentional in recognizing what
you are thankful for and write them down in a gratitude journal.
Adopt a routine. Working from
home has blurred the lines between work and rest. To avoid burnout, it is
important to maintain self-control through routines and setting activities to
simulate your usual schedule before COVID-19. However, routines can also become
mundane, so you may integrate new activities in your schedule once in a while.
Consider mental health
and media. The onslaught of negative news seen in traditional and digital
media can affect people’s mental health. If you feel that your peace of mind
may be affected by the news, limit your time reading or watching them. In
addition, try to minimize sharing content that might be distressing to others.
Identify your coping
strategies. It is vital that you reflect on what your coping strategies were
before the pandemic and see if these are applicable in the current situation.
Then, examine the barriers of your self-care. Also, avoid coping strategies
that are negative by nature, which include drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes
and other practices that might hurt rather than help you.
Ground yourself. When faced
with overwhelming stressors, it is important to limit the stimuli you are
exposed to. This may include tuning out noise or dimming the lights. Ground
yourself in the situation, especially during moments of anxiety. This can be
easily done by using your five senses and identifying five things you can see,
smell, and hear to help restore a sense of calm.
Practice mindfulness
meditation. In situations you can no longer control, meditation can help
relieve stress. Some mindfulness exercises include taking deep, slow breaths or
practicing progressive muscle relaxation which entails tensing some of your
muscles and slowly relaxing them afterwards. Explore these easy relaxation
techniques and find what works best for you.
When it comes to
self-care, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy; it is a process that might
involve trial and error. To better protect your physical and mental wellbeing
with a health plan that suits your needs, visit AXA Philippines’ website, https://axa.com.ph/ or talk to an agent
via the landline +632 85815-292.
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