If we look at this time last year t is fair to say that we had certainly come a long way with regards to our attitudes towards mental health. Prior to the pandemic however, there were still some who perhaps don’t take it as seriously as was needed. This year of course has been a challenging one for all of us and now we have brilliant professionals in the medical field like Dr. Curtis Cripe, discoing why our approach towards mental health is more important than ever before.
This is why mental wellbeing has to be at the top of our agenda.
Fear Of The Virus
Although we have very much turned a corner with regards to the virus, there is still a great deal of fear out there. Those who are vulnerable are of course fearful of catching it, and the result is that they lock themselves down as going out ramps up that fear. This is terrible for mental wellbeing of course. There is also the fear amongst those who are not vulnerable, that they may catch it and become a weapon, as they could then spread the virus. Living in this constant fear really is no way to live life and it has a terribly negative impact on our mental health.
Lack of Socializing
Spending time with other humans is part of life, it is how we are able to share our emotions and open up, it is what entertains the mind and it is a core part of who we are. Having this stripped away from us in the way that it has been is a very challenging proposition for anyone’s mind, regardless of how strong and positive it may be. Even now that we are out and about, we are still being told to stay away from people, and this too makes life even more challenging.
Closed In
As we have just mentioned, being closed in for such a long time, unable to go about our day as we usually do, this is something else which has caused a great deal of damage to the mentality of so many people. This feeling of being imprisoned is not a nice one and it has a really big impact on our mental wellbeing, it just isn’t normal.
Shock
The most common feeling this year has been a sense of shock and for many their minds were not prepared to deal with something like this. That sense of shock has come about as a result of the rug being pulled from under us with regards to our usual lives being stopped and a new normal introduced. One minute you are living life the way that you always have, and the next everything changes and there is fear everywhere, this shock to the system has been very challenging for many people.
And so as we open back up again, we all have to ensure that we are putting mental health at the top of our priority list.
