The whole world is in the midst of a pandemic.The coronavirus affecting 196 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance ( the Diamond Princess cruise ship harboured in Yokohama,Japan) with 452,241 cases. Several Countries are shutting down, yet the people in other unaffected countries are preparing for the same. As the number of confirmed cases are increasing it is natural that people would be frightened. Everyone is watching news headlines,checking messages in social media without any break and are anxious about their days ahead. Each person has the same question in mind- “when this will end ? Is this lock down only for 3 or 4 weeks or will it continue?” Nobody has an answer. We all are in uncertainty. The entire world is in a dilemma. The pandemic we are experiencing has a serious impact on the global economy.People are going through intense emotions such as anxiety and stress which affects their physical health too.For many people ,it is really hard to handle. But there are many things we can do even in the face of this crisis to manage such anxiety and fears. Some feel that this is not the right time to talk about being positive. But remember, positivity and peace of mind are the essence to a successful life. Positive emotions help people to improve their psychological well-being as well as their physical health. Our body always responds to the way we think,feel and act. If we are stressed or upset ,our body reacts in a way by showing signs or symptoms which eventually affects the whole body system.Individuals who are able to savor positive emotions have positive healthful changes in the body including lower levels of stress hormone.
What we can do
- Accept that our Nation is undergoing a lock down for the sake of ourselves and those around us.
- Think that this is not a lock down instead it is a vacation or leave for us to relax and enjoy with family.
- Focus on what we can control rather than what we cannot. For example, following safety measures,recommendations of health experts and staying at home can control this pandemic.
- Involve all the family members in the household work, clear all the trash in your home . Keep yourselves active and busy.
- Put a limit on the number of dishes in your menu . Avoid wastage of food & water.
- If you are too overwhelmed to hear the corona news,then consider the media consumption to a specific time frame. Also always stick to trustworthy sources and share authentic information only.
- Plan & organise your daily routine. Take care of children and elderly people at home.Try to stick to your regular sleep, meal, or work schedule. This can help you maintain a sense of normalcy. The possibilities of disease can be scary to think about yet being proactive is the best solution.
- Stay connected with your friends and family members even if you are physically isolated by scheduling regular phone, chat, or video conferencing. Thus interactions can act as medicines for your mental health.
- Like coronavirus, emotions are also contagious.so avoid talking about the virus always in every conversations, instead of that focus on other things going on in our lives
- Take care of your body.Do meditation and other relaxation exercises.Practicing meditation regularly can bring back into a state of calmness
- Be kind to others. For example you can help isolated people in your locality by leaving food packages/groceries/medicines on their doorstep or make a call daily to show your support
According to World Health Organisation it was necessary for India to introduce lock down. As a highly populous country of 1.3 billion, if the pandemic takes a hold,the consequences could be more catastrophic than anything seen so far in China,Europe or the USA. That is why India imposed a nationwide lock down for 21 days to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Hence It is time to take a deep breath and remember that the whole world is in this together.Stay positive even if you are quarantined at home and always remember to look at the bright side. There is a phrase that “Every dark cloud has a silver lining”. Take this opportunity to thicken that lining and boost your thoughts with positive emotions so that you can come out from these dark clouds with a new ray of hope and shine. As our dear Prime minister Narendra Modi said “Jaan hai toh jahan hai” (the world exists only when we live) . For that , just focus on your health and others’ health by staying home with a positive attitude thereby creating a vision of your perfect future.
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