It’s 2023
And we are slowly recovering from the Covid 19 pandemic.
Since the pandemic, new advances in medicine and technology have been made.
Covid 19 affected the population’s livelihood, mental health and access to valuable resources like medical services.
Millions of Americans were afraid and anxious due to the Country’s lockdown decree.
The Pew Research Center reports that
“at least four-in-ten U.S. adults (41%) have experienced high levels of psychological distress at least once since the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak (Pasquini and Keeter, 2022)”.
During the initial outbreak of the pandemic
Many were afraid of what their future would look like.
Covid 19 was a new virus and most medics were unsure how to combat this disease.
Despite our challenges we were able to develop vaccines to treat the virus.
Needless to say, Covid 19 may have brought out the rudest people you have ever met.
Sometimes mental health issues can manifest differently in others.
The great thing about this pandemic is that it opened a new frontier called Telehealth.
Telehealth is a new technological advancement that has allowed patients to see their medical providers without being exposed to the harmful virus.
Thanks to this technological advancement millions of individuals are able to seek extra support.
As time progressed, society has accepted that mental health is a real issue.
What does that mean?
Mental health had drastically increased during the pandemic.
The World Health Organization noted that “In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25% (WHO, 2022)”.
As we slowly get back into our routines, more have sought to get a therapist.
This new change has increased the demand for mental health specialists.
The National Institute of Mental Health notes that;
“Telehealth has provided convenience, broader reach, fewer barriers and advances in technology (NIH, 2023)”.
So why should I care?
As more research is being conducted, check your network provider if they accept telehealth services.
As fellow Americans we are always on the run, and we tend to lose track of our personal health.
Especially parents who have families to provide for and not enough time to take care of themselves.
The pandemic taught society to be grateful for the little things.
When you feel overwhelmed or in a rut, make a list of things that you are grateful for.
Now that everything is going back to normal, send a thank you card to your child’s teacher.
Make an effort to spend time with loved ones.
Working is important but do not be afraid to take some time off to take care of personal errands.
If you don’t make time for yourself, you will reach burnout or compassion fatigue.
Burnout is another way of saying overworked and you probably surpassed it at some point.
When you feel overworked try to set an hour a day just for you.
Mark it on your phone or planner and label it my time.
You work constantly and it is only fair to have time for yourself.
It is okay to be selfish.
You might even consider taking a nature walk or doing a simple car ride.
Your personal activity does not have to be complicated.
The activity should be something that you find fun and easy to do.
For example you could put a blanket on the fresh cut grass and enjoy the summer breeze.
No matter what age you are, you deserve time for yourself.
The pandemic taught us that time is a gift and we should enjoy it while we have it.
This post was written by Jasmine P., and published by Convenient Counseling Services.
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