BENGALURU : Covid-19 has unleashed a mental health pandemic. At such a time, it becomes prudent that besides asking for help, we equip ourselves with resources that can help us build resilience. Here are a few activities that can help bring some respite in the turbulence.
Cooking: Whipping up something special can be rewarding and give you a sense of accomplishment. It will also provide you an opportunity to be active and use your muscles. The satisfaction of eating a homemade meal gives a great mental health boost for those trying to eat healthy during the pandemic.
Knitting: The rhythmic and repetitive movement of the needles is similar to meditation. It can help you practise mindfulness and get rid of anxiety. There are many active knitting communities online which can open new doors for networking and making friends. Journaling: The distressing news around us during can give rise to a negative train of thoughts. Writing these thoughts down in a journal can help de-tangle them and understand the source of agony. Seeing your thoughts in the written form gives a better understanding of the mind.
Painting: Art therapy has been used for long to understand non-verbal emotions and relieve stress. The burst of colours and the satisfaction of creating something new can give one a sense of accomplishment. It can help translate convoluted thoughts into art. It can help relieve stress and give a break from social media.
Reading: The word ‘escape’ might have a negative connotation, but in an anxiety-ridden world, escaping is a good idea. It can give you a breather from doomsurfing. There is no better way to escape reality than reading a book. It’s a portal to new worlds, both real and imaginary. It is a good way to exercise your brain and lights up your imagination. Studies have found that regular reading can help people escape memory-related illnesses in later life. In this era of shrinking attention span, finishing a book can restore your faith in your ability to concentrate on a particular task.