With the pandemic raging for months, mental health has now acquired even more relevance than before. Being locked-down for days can have a severe impact on many of us. This can ramify into mental health issues in the long run. While this is true, the existing taboo on mental health in Indian society continues to be a concern. It is a stumbling block for many who seek medical help through psychiatrist consultation. Psychiatrists are specialised medical practitioners who treat mental, behavioural or emotional conditions. The course of treatment involves medicines and/or psychotherapy. The doctors dealing with mental health issues are qualified to recommend suitable medication.
While seeking medical help is essential for those experiencing severe mental health issues, you can take conscious steps at home to improve your mental health every day –
1. Eating healthy keeps your mind healthy as well
Take note that maintaining a healthy diet is not only important for your body; it ensures a healthy mind as well. It can build a strong immune system, which is now considered to be a critical cog in combating the virus. Ensure that your meals have a variety of foods that include sufficient intake of vital nutrients.
Here are some examples of highly nutritious foods –
- Energy-rich foods like cereals (wheat, rice, maize, etc), fats/oils, sugars are good source of carbohydrates and supplies energy to your body.
- Body building foods like pulses (dals, beans, legumes), animal foods (eggs, meat, poultry, fish), milk and milk products, provide protein.
- Protective foods like seasonal fruits and vegetables which contain Vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, selenium prompts immune responses.
- Having Ayurvedic immunity promoting items like herbal tea or decoction made from Tulsi, cinnamon, black pepper, dry Ginger and raisins – once or twice a day – are also effective.
Some healthy eating tips –
- Be careful not to skip meals. Break your daily calorie intake by taking 5-6 small meals.
- Eat whole grams and pulses, whole wheat bread, oats etc. to add fiber to your daily meals.
- Add whole channa (gram) to wheat in 4:1 ratio and mix rice with whole grams or pulses in a ratio of 1:1 to include fiber.
- Make sure that you take 4-5 servings of fresh green vegetables and fruits every day.
- Cook with olive /canola/ rice bran / soy /mustard oil. Change your oils in every 2-3 months.
- Nuts like almonds, walnuts, flax seeds are excellent sources of antioxidants.
- Take two litres of water every day
- Avoid excess salt, processed and preserved foods
- Limit your alcohol intake and stay away from tobacco and smoking.
2. Connect with friends and loved ones
Now that the COVID-19 situation has improved try to have face-to-face interactions with friends and loved ones. Virtual connection has its benefits but nothing is as stress-busting, and mood-boosting as spending quality time with loved ones. This can help you to elevate your mood, become more resilient and enjoy life more.
3. Stay active
Both your brain and your body need to remain active for their proper functioning. Regular exercise also helps in a big way to maintain your mental and emotional health by relieving stress, improving memory and by enabling you to sleep better.
4. Stay joyful
Be it – listening to a peppy number, strumming your guitar or watching a comedy show – ensure your daily dose of fun and amusement to stay in high spirits. You can also squeeze a stress ball or take a walk in a park, if that uplifts your spirit. Many pleasures of the senses are easily available in this season of spring, where trees and flowers are blooming, and these are extremely potent in keeping you happy.
5. Ensure a good night’s sleep
In these trying times, stress is unavoidable. This is why it is important to take ample rest in order to manage stress. Eight hours of sound sleep can ensure that for you.
6. Avoid triggers that cause stress
As the pandemic continues, following the news feed constantly can make you anxious or distraught. Limit the consumption to accessing the latest information at a particular time of the day. Moreover, Yoga, mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing can also help in addressing stress.
However, if you feel that your mental health is not being controlled by these steps, do seek support. You can consult a psychiatrist for the following issues-
- For depression, anxiety, trauma
- Worried about stress levels, or alcohol addiction
- Undergoing medications to treat a mental illness
- Experiencing suicidal thoughts
If you are experiencing severe stress levels, think of doing a stress assessment test. Additionally, you can go for an alcohol risk assessment test to ensure your alcohol intake is within limits.
Also read: Factors To Consider When Selecting A Psychiatrist
Talk to a professional
The good news is, today you can go for psychiatry consultation online from the comfort of your home. You just need to book a session on an established online healthcare platform to consult psychiatrist online India. Highly skilled psychiatrists are now associated with DocGenie to provide online psychiatric consultation. Online counselling helps in addressing issues like accessibility, convenience, affordability and others.
After the dreadful second wave of COVID19 many of us are afflicted with fear and anxiety. This atmosphere of fear and stress can affect your mental health badly. If you are feeling a sense of helplessness and anxiety, consult psychiatrists today. You can go for psychiatry consultation online and access top quality therapy and treatment from renowned psychiatrists. You can also seek help online on DocGenie and get guidance from the best psychiatrist in India. A band of highly qualified and experienced psychiatrists are with us to give you the best online psychiatric consultation.
It is time we change our attitude and prioritise our mental health and wellbeing. Remember not seeking timely help can aggravate your mental conditions, making them complex and severe. Shed inhibitions and opt for help from the best psychiatrist in India at the earliest.
Also read: Tips to Manage Your Mental Health After Recovering from Covid-19
DocGenie is an online telemedicine platform that provides you with quality healthcare from the comfort of your own space. On DocGenie, you can book an online consultation with highly qualified doctors as well as book lab tests for home collection.