Dealing with anxiety or depression during the pandemic has been even harder than usual given how many of us have lost access to usual coping mechanisms. It's essentially "taken away opportunities to deal with stressors," said James Marrugo, LPCC, of Morning Coffee Counseling. For example, lack of or lowered income can make it harder to engage in self-care; lack of physical touch means you can't hug your friends and family; and pandemic restrictions have cut down on hobbies you can do outside of the house. Losing our normal coping mechanisms can also lead us towards others, like alcohol, that are less effective and potentially more damageing in the long term.
What to do: "People can remain resilient by being as flexible as possible and finding joy in new areas of their lives," Marrugo said, such as connecting with loved ones and community- or faith-based organisations, spending time outside the house as safely as possible, avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and substance use, and exercising. Social media can also be used as a less effective stand-in for a coping mechanism so make sure to give yourself daily breaks from it and the news cycle. "Consuming the news constantly can create more anxiety," said psychiatrist Bryan Bruno, MD, medical director at Mid City TMS. Try limiting the number of times you check the news and social media, dropping from five times a day to three, or from three to two. "You'll still know what is going on but you'll also give yourself a much-needed break."