It's About Time To Make Your Mental Health A Priority.

I bet all those people who shared those quotes '201x was the worst year of my life. 201(x+1), you better be good' must be really regretting saying that now. 

In 2020, our world has officially descended into an unprecedented cataclysm. The world as we see it isn't the same anymore. What's there, instead, is a lot of chaos, fear and mistrust running amok. 

Think about it: who in their right mind would have thought that a cough or a sneeze could be as terrifying as Pennywise from IT? 

And you know what's scarier, dear reader? 

Nobody knows, for sure, what's going on. 

Every other day, you see thousands of news articles, claiming the 'truth'. Every other day, you see 'scientists' and 'experts' pop up, sharing their 'thoughts' about the closure of this crisis. Every other day, you hear about so many devastating stories of more and more people dying and being reduced to hard-cold statistics. 

If you're an Indian, your fears would be all the more heightened by the heartbreaking stories of desperate migrants, trying to reach home and the recurrent xenophobic vitriol. In addition to this, you are seeing the circulation of chaos spewed some 'illustrious' reporters (hereby named as shrieking banshees) and the case-by-case statistics across states. 

When all of this is around, coupled with the actual strict measures constantly being enforced in your area, every other day, it can take a toll on you. 

You have no effing clue what's going on. You're just an ordinary person, completely caught off guard by what's going on. Day in, day out, you're wracked with worry about your elderly relatives, especially your grandparents, whose faces fall every time when they hear yet another sensationalist shitkrieg in the name of 'news'. 

It's a bloody chaotic mess, and it can hurt you. 

Which is why, I tell you this: 

Apart from ensuring safety measures and practicing social distancing, you need to take care of one thing: 

Your mental health. 

There, I said it.  

Don't see it as a taboo anymore. Now is the most critical time to ensure your mental well-being. This is why, I've attempted to design 6 stages, to deal will this pandemic: 

STAGE 1: PROCESS YOUR THOUGHTS

First of all, sit down and take a deep breath. 

Not a shallow, quickie breath. Take a deep, deep breath, where your eyes flutter and your frazzled nerves are soothed.

Then, slowly, really slowly, open your eyes. 

Don't let a flood of thoughts attack you. Don't go off in a spiral anymore. It's time to start organizing your thoughts. 

Take a piece of paper and start listing down, what exactly you're thinking. List down your emotions in whatever way you like and just be honest with yourself. 

Then, once you're done, take a deep breath again and make a list of all the things you're grateful for in your life. After this, you... 

STAGE 2: BRING A STRUCTURE TO YOUR DAYS

Now that you're done verbalizing your emotions in some tangible form, it's time to begin your coping process - with some structure. 

Don't go back to beating yourself up anymore. Sit up straight, and plan out your day. 

This plan isn't a war strategy. Nor isn't a business plan. It can be something as simple as a list of three-to-five things you'd like to do you in the day. 

If you're working from 9-to-5, one of the things in your To-Do list could be your job. The other things could be, say, doing an online course or catching up with your loved ones. 

If you're a student, you can attend your online classes for some time. The other things could be, doing your home work or pursuing a passion. 

It could be anything that you want to do. But do something, so that you don't get disillusioned. 

STAGE 3: BUT, BE FLEXIBLE

(Please don't make dirty minded innuendos on this. Bhavnaon ko samjho) 

If you don't accomplish what's written on your To-Do list, do NOT beat yourself up for it. 

The times are rough and you're allowed to maintain a schedule as you like. You are, however, not at all allowed to compare your growth with that of others. 

Don't you dare beat yourself up if you're not ticking off all the boxes in your To-Do list. Don't sit there whining about how everyone else is getting ahead and how you're such a loser, 'cause you are NOT a loser. Most importantly, don't you dare make fun of someone striving to make their days productive during this disturbing situation. 

You know why I say this? I say this because every one of us has a different growth story. All of us will have our own peaks and troughs and it's about time we realize that. 

STAGE 4: STAY IN TOUCH 

While you're navigating your way through all of this, it's important to not lose your perspective. 

To make sure you're grappling with the scenario, keep in touch with your loved ones. 

Talk about the latest on-goings in your life. Play a game. Watch a movie together. Do activities together and keep confiding in each other, so that mentally, your head is a lot clearer and you enjoy a  sense of comfort. 

No matter what, stay connected with your loved ones. Actually sit and talk to your loved ones, if they are staying with you. If they aren't around physically, they are just a video call away. 

STAGE 5: HOWEVER, MAINTAIN BOUNDARIES

Though this period has given us a lot of free time in our hands, it does NOT mean that you have to spend time chatting with everyone, including the ones who have hurt you in the past. 

It may seem tempting, it really will. But do make sure that you work hard to establish healthy boundaries, especially with the ones who have really made it a point to be the Vetaal to your existence. 

Why? You don't want them to feel toxic at this time, and you, yourself, could do a LOT better without hearing nonsense that messes your mind up. It's honestly better for both parties, to not be toxic towards one another. 

If you have an urge to talk to those who hurt you, don't talk to them unless it's necessary. If it's unnecessary, just write down what you want to say in a piece of paper. 

99% chances are, you will NOT talk to them. However, if you still feel like talking, then you, my friend, are a very brave person. 

STAGE 6: GIVE BACK, WHEN YOU'RE READY

As you navigate you way through this bewildering yet agonizing scenario, make sure that once you are at a stage to see things with a clarity, prepare yourself to give back to the world. 

When you think you're ready, start trying to understand one cause you're passionate about. Then, find out how you can volunteer virtually to make some difference from your end. 

I am not asking you to be the Ultimate Good Samaritan. 

Your contribution could be anything as small as a donation, or an awareness campaign online or simply just being there for people who are finding it tough to cope. 

In this case, the magnitude of your contribution does NOT matter. It's your initiative that counts. 

***

Thank you for taking your time out to read this, dear reader. 

If you are someone going through a mental crisis of your own, please do reach out to me. I'm always around. 

Stay safe, dear reader. 

Much love, 

Archie <3