Today on R U OK day, I wanted to take a moment to emphasise the importance of self care. Looking after all of our mental, physical, psychological, emotional… all encompassing selves.
The topic of self care is especially relevant now, with the current situation of a global pandemic, and in particular for those of us in Victoria, who have endured some of the strictest lock-down measures around the world for the past 6 months. Many of us have been separated from our loved ones, many are juggling work and home-schooling and most of us are feeling the fatigue of being forced to stay indoors for 23 hours a day. And I have to say, I am proud to see how Victorians have faced these challenges with such resilience, understanding and goodwill. We have followed the rules, compromised where we can, and remained patient while avidly waiting for the daily Covid-19 numbers to drop to acceptable levels.
Unfortunately though, there are also many of us who are suffering. The mental toll of the lock-down, job insecurity, economic recession, the fear of acquiring Covid-19, and minimal social contact have created an environment that accentuates our general anxieties and stresses, not just amongst Victorians but in people around the world. An environment that is leading to poor mental health amongst our most isolated and vulnerable.
Having a mental illness can be very lonely and alienating not only because of the societal stigma associated with it but because it is actually quite hard to describe the feelings of anxiety and depression, to those who haven’t suffered a similar state of mind. For many, it is easy to be dismissive of the suffering, the intensity seemingly ridiculous. But I have found that it isn’t so much whether or not your confidante understands what you are feeling, but rather, the acknowledgement and acceptance of your feelings that is critical. At the end of the day, we may not really know what stories are left untold, what burdens remain hidden and what trauma haunts their past.
For me personally, self care is generally shelved somewhere deep beneath my daily chores, paying of bills, studying, work, general fulfilment of obligations, trying to keep people happy, sometimes doing things I don’t want to do to keep people happy… you get the idea.
But I have tried extra hard in recent times to look after my mental health by doing small things for myself, regularly. I hope that these little things will eventually add up to something powerful in the end! Things I’ve tried to practice during lock-down to keep my anxieties in check:
- make sure I go out for a walk / jog some time during the day, for the 1 hour of exercise allocated
- take a shower everyday to wind down and have some time for myself
- binge-watch every show that I loved growing up and reminisce fond memories
- make a conscious effort to keep in contact with those closest to me with what’s going on in my life
- cherish every moment of my bubba’s first milestones (they grow up too fast!)
I guess what I’m trying to say is, in amidst the chaos of our lives, virus or not, it is critical to take some time out, to make sure your friends and family are ok and most importantly, to make sure YOU are ok. Because if we aren’t at our best, how can we possibly take care of those we care about, our work, our interests, our day to day lives.
And while we live in a world where every state of being has a potential medical diagnosis, it need not be that intense. My message today is quite simple. Be kind. Show sincerity over curiosity, compassion over indifference, because sometimes, our worst anxieties can be put to rest by an attentive ear…
…so ask someone you care about today, R U OK?
movingforwardpriya 
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