Skip to main content

Anxious About Post-Pandemic Life? Take Things at Your Own Pace

A young man contemplates life after the global pandemic and easing back into normal life

 

COVID-19, along with many other concerns, have caused both children and adults to experience a record level of stress. While anxiety, fear, sadness and exhaustion are common emotional responses when living through a major threat or trauma, mental health issues should never be taken lightly. 

Prolonged stress affects all systems of the body, and can negatively affect your physical and mental health. It is also associated with unhealthy lifestyle changes, such as unwanted weight gain and increased alcohol consumption. 

Too often, mental health issues like anxiety and depression go untreated, and those who struggle with these conditions are left feeling unsupported. This means it is vitally important to help friends, loved ones and co-workers receive the emotional support and behavioral health services they need to live a healthier, happier life. 

Remember To Take Care of Yourself

It is also a priority to protect your own mental and physical well-being while returning to the activities of daily life. To help cope with added stress, keep up-to-date on the latest COVID-19 prevention guidance and allow yourself to take things at your own pace. While others may feel differently about masking/non-masking or potential exposure to the virus, it is best to do what personally makes you feel most comfortable.

Some health experts suggest making a list of activities you would like to start doing again and then breaking them down into smaller steps.

For example, if you have not dined in a restaurant for a long while, you might start by enjoying a meal at an outdoor public place. If you feel anxious about returning to the office, you may wish to meet with a colleague for coffee first. 

Other strategies to reduce stress include engaging in regular physical exercise and getting an adequate amount of sleep each night. Remember, it is okay to acknowledge the uncertainty that exists in the post-COVID world, and to seek the support of family and friends. 

Finally, it may be helpful to see a mental health professional who can help identify the stressors that affect your daily life and ways to improve your overall wellbeing. To request an appointment at SFCHC, please call (818) 963-5690 or visit sfchealthcenter.org.

 
Author
Stacy T. Geere is founder and principal of The Geere Group. She is also the PR director for San Fernando Community Health Cen Stacy Geere PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING CONSULTANT - Stacy T. Geere is founder and principal of The Geere Group, a full-service public relations and marketing consulting firm. She has over three decades of diverse experience working with clients in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Stacy has supported high-profile projects in relation to healthcare, environmental sustainability, water and energy conservation, transportation, land use development and other complex issues. Her work has earned both local and national recognition. Stacy has a passion for volunteering her time and leadership to philanthropic causes and is a published book author. www.thegeeregroup.com

You Might Also Enjoy...

young new mom to be shows sonogram of her healthy baby

Healthy Babies Need Healthy Moms

What would a baby registry look like if it included the future mom’s needs, too? Would you see regular ultrasounds? Nutritional advice? Mental and emotional counseling? SFCHC offers all these services because healthy babies actually do need healthy moms.
Happy middle-age man riding his bike, caring for his heart, with help from the San Fernando Community Health Center team.

Show Your Heart Some Love

Our hearts do their job without being asked, supporting our whole body, and often get taken for granted. So how can you help your heart help you? Get to know your heart and protect it from high blood pressure, sometimes called hypertension, with SFCHC.
A graphic image showing San Fernando Community Health Center's Love for Los Angeles after the devastating Wildfires

Congresswoman Luz Rivas Shares A Wildfire Resource Guide

The recent fires in Los Angeles have impacted many lives and left a mark on our community. While we are grateful that our health center was not directly affected, our hearts go out to all those who have experienced loss, displacement or distress.