There appears to be two type of people at the moment: 1) those that joke about Corona virus, drink a Corona beer at the weekend and are generally pretty chill about the whole situation; 2) those panicking, bulk buying and also causing mass hysteria in offices and schools by diagnosing everyone who coughs.

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GIF by Squirrel Monkey

It is a pretty strange time. People are having holidays and events cancelled. We’re all keeping a eye on our elderly relatives and taking pictures of empty shelves in supermarkets. Some of us are self isolating.

It is a time of uncertainty and fear. When these things are happening, we all have a sense of worry. If this is something that you have regularly experienced, you may be quite triggered by the situation at the moment. I know of friends who are struggling to sleep due to panic attacks which has been heightened by coronavirus fears.

I think the first thing to say is: your fear is valid. It is a scary situation and you shouldn’t feel silly for feeling a bit scared. Secondly, like physical health – don’t take chances on your mental health. If you feel your mental health declining – reach out to someone.

Personally, I’m dreading having to self-isolate because I know how important getting out and seeing people is for my depression and anxiety. A lot of my coping strategies rely on being outside, socialising and exercising. Therefore I’m trying to come up with some contingency plans for if I have to stay indoors.

While some people are stocking up on loo roll, I’m going to stock up on self-care strategies. I’d suggest everyone does the same and take care of one another. Remember, mental health is as important as physical health so look after both!

Love always,

Lauren x
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Positive of the day: I had a really fun night with my housemates last night and then one of them cooked me breakfast this morning!

(Sick Mask GIF by Alice Social)