- Eat well and drink plenty of water
- Keep taking your medication – ask for a supply
- Continue accessing treatment and support if possible – ask teams to phone you
- Keep your home as clean and tidy as you can
- Find ways to work or study at home, if possible
Mental wellbeing of patients during a pandemic
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Adapted with permission from Royal College of Psychiatrists, MIND and National Centre for Mental Health leaflets.
What is a pandemic?
A pandemic is an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time. The following information can be adapted and given to patients with mental illnesses during this current crisis. It is also available in the patient information leaflet section for photocopying.
Anxiety associated with pandemics
- Don't keep re-reading the same advice if this is unhelpful for you.
- Let other people know you're struggling
- Breathing exercises can help you cope and feel more in control.
Anxiety associated with obsessive hand-washing
- Set limits, like washing your hands for the recommended 20 seconds.
- Plan something to do after washing your hands. This could help distract you and change your focus.
Connect with people
- Try the MeHUCA support group – details below
- Phone people you would normally see in person
Decide on your routine
- Plan how you'll spend your time. It might help to write this down on paper and put it on the wall.
- Try to follow your ordinary routine as much as possible. Get up at the same time as normal, follow your usual morning routines, and go to bed at your usual time.
Try to keep active by
- cleaning your home and doing chores
- dancing to music
- sitting less or doing seated exercises if you can’t stand
Get as much sunlight, fresh air and nature as you can, while sticking to Government guidelines on social distancing
- If you have to self-isolate indoors, spend time with the windows open to let in fresh air.
- Arrange a comfortable space to sit, for example by a window
Find ways to spend your time
- Text or call a loved one if you cannot meet in person
- Sort through your possessions
- Gardening or attending to vegetables or flowers
Find ways to relax and be creative
- Arts and crafts
- DIY
- Playing musical instruments
Take care with news and information
- If news stories or social media make you feel anxious or confused, think about switching off or limiting what you look at for a while
From an April 2019 mental health leaflet (with permission):
In the event of regular meetings for peer support groups being suspended, group members can:
- Check in on group members via phone to provide peer support and maintain contact
- Maintain contact with service providers at district hospitals or Health centre working directly with the support group to access credible information on the virus, medication, and psychosocial support.
- If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a health worker or counsellor.
- Do not use stigmatizing and discriminatory language and actions in the event a support group member is diagnosed with a highly communicable disease.