TULSA, Okla. — It’s been a little over a month since Coronavirus arrived in Tulsa, forcing people to change their daily routines and how we interact with others.
A lot of us are having to navigate through changes we never imagined and not realizing the impact it’s having on our mental health and wellness.
Psychiatrist and the Clinical Operations Director at Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Dr. Sahib Khalsa, said your mental health should be one of the main focuses during this time.
Everyone deals with changes differently, but Dr. Khalsa said one of the best ways to manage the stress or anxiety you may be feeling is by sticking to a somewhat normal schedule, making sure you’re going to bed at a reasonable hour and waking up at the same time every day.
While everyone is practicing social distancing, he said that doesn’t mean you need to stay socially isolated.
Dr. Khalsa said now is the best time to reach out to your friends, family members, and co-workers through different forms of communication or technology, adding that maintaining relationships can help combat stress.
“It’s something that we take for granted throughout our daily lives when we have those natural interactions, but now when there’s a challenge to it we have to take be a bit more conscious about taking the effort and the initiative to maintain that engagement," said Dr. Khalsa.
Dr. Khalsa said you also need to evaluate yourself.
Compare how you’re doing and handling the changes as compared to a month ago and reach out for help if you’re feeling depressed or filled with anxiety.
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