How to Stay Sane when the World has Gone Crazy

 The endless barrage of bad news, isolation from the outside world, no alone time, and the general sense of panic in the air… it's enough to make even the most rational person go insane. But for those of us with a history of depression and/or anxiety, we're much more likely to be affected by it. The surprisingly comforting thing in all of this Corona Crisis is that we’re all in this together. Everyone (with half a brain) is cooped up, so the whole country is banning together to help each other in any way we know how. It’s important to realize that it’s okay not to feel okay. It’s normal to have periods where you feel an excessive amount of anxiety. It’s expected that you’ll have bad days. We have no clue how long this period will last. We can’t go through life expecting that this will all be over in a month because we don’t know if that’s true. Doing so could set you up for disappointment if you expect this to be over in two weeks and that deadline comes and goes. We have to make this life the best it can be, with our given circumstances. I’ll share some things I’ve tried to incorporate in the last few days.

1. Working out/Doing something active daily- this isn’t the time to skip out on physical activity. In fact, it’s time to ramp it up. Whenever I find myself spiraling out of control, I know it’s time to take a break from social media and the news and find a way to move my body. Your gym closing isn’t a reason to stop working out. You just have to get creative. Here are some ideas:

• Find a Yoga/Pure Barre/Pilates/Zumba/weight lifting etc. class online- there are so many free options available on YouTube and even more options through subscriptions like Beachbody. Find something you like and stick with it or use the opportunity to try something new. I love doing Zumba at home because it’s so fun that it doesn’t feel like exercise, but I’m so bad at it that I wouldn’t dare take a class in person. 
• If you have free weights, start a workout regime. You can find plenty of guidance about exercises YouTube and other places online. If you don’t have access to weights at home, get creative by utilizing items like 2-liter bottles, water bottles, or other items around the house. Hopefully, you’re pretty stocked up on those. Or just use your body weight and up the reps. 
• Go for a run- news flash: the outdoors isn’t closed. The U.S. is lucky enough that it’s still safe to go outside. Other countries aren’t so lucky. Take advantage of this opportunity and when you have nice weather and run or walk outside. It’s nice to change up your surroundings and see other people (even if you do have to keep your distance).
• Do yard work/cleaning. Bending over to pull weeds, cutting the grass, or deep cleaning the house definitely counts as keeping moving. And I don’t know about you, but finally getting to do some much needed housework is a silver lining to this whole mess. 
• Other exercises that don’t use any equipment: pushups, sit ups, stretching, high knees, squats, lunges, wall sits, superman holds, etc. 

2. Doing productive projects- doing something, anything, beats sitting around doing nothing. Stop reading for a minute and make a list of house projects, research, cleaning or other things you’ve been meaning to do. Then, on a separate list, write down all of the things you’ve wanted to do, but never had the time before. For me, my first list included things like do yard work and kill the weeds, paint the third bedroom, washing the couch cushions, and finish the trim in the living room. My second list has things like painting art projects, reading, new Netflix shows, and finishing the edits on my second book.

3. Stocking up on food and household needs- Luckily, we got started on this task a week or so before the madness started, but there’s still time to get what you need. Anticipate that you won’t be able to leave the house for 2 weeks to a month, so you aren’t left without something you need. Don’t count on Amazon deliveries or Shipt being able to deliver groceries. Yes, they’re still up right now, but they may not be in a few weeks. I don’t say this to scare you, I say it so that you can be prepared. I haven’t bought any more than we’ll be able to use before it expires, so even if this ends in a timely matter, that just means I won’t have to go to the store for a while. Also think about things like: shampoo/soap, toothpaste, vitamins, medicines, pet supplies, and anything else you use on a daily basis. I’ve also ordered a few new toys for my daughter and some new board games we can enjoy. Seeing that my pantry and fridge are full eases my anxiety a ton.

4. Find a way to release your emotions- whatever it may be. For some, it’s praying, for other’s it’s journaling, meditation, crying it out, or maybe talking it out with someone. The corona virus is bringing up a lot of emotions and instead of holding it in, you’ve got to let it out. Sometimes, I want to talk about it and sometimes, I put a gag order on all things Corona. I’ve really been meaning to start journaling about it both because it will help me process it and because it will be incredible to look back on one day.

5. Keep some connection to the outside world and your loved ones- though it may feel like you’re all alone, I promise you aren’t. After the novelty of hanging out with my family wore off, I took some steps to keep in touch with my friends and family. That included starting a group text with my mom friends to share updates and for the kids to trade pictures back and forth and downloading Marco Polo to send and receive videos. I have also enjoyed catching up with my usual podcasts and interacting my local COVID-19 group on Facebook. I’m enjoying the videos created about the crisis because its further proof that I’m not the only one dealing with this. I’m sure there will be tons more content like this to come.

6. Keeping your regular routines- it’s easy to throw all caution to the wind and do what you want, but if anything you need to dig into your routines. Sure, you don’t have to rush out the door to work, but it’s still in your best interest to go to bed and wake up at your usual hours. It will help you maintain some normalcy. While you’re at it, keep eating healthy, drinking water, getting dressed, and making your bed. This way, you can have some control over something in a world that feels out of your control.

7. Get outside! I for one am thankful for the nice, warm weather during all of this. Without it, I’d really be getting stir crazy. It doesn’t matter if you’re going for a walk, playing with your kids, or just reading outside. Just getting out in the open and getting some vitamin D will really improve your mood.

That’s all the tips I’ve got for ya. Feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments. When you start to get depressed thinking about how long this will last, just focus on getting through today, or even the next hour. You can either gain ten pounds and a drinking problem from this or by gaining a new hobby or skill. Think of this as a challenge to be as productive as possible. At least we have technology. With it, the possibilities are endless on what we can learn.