by Melissa Yoong.
COVID has been lingering on our shores for more than 2 years now and when it finally caught up with me about a month ago, it hit me like a truck. My symptoms were anything but mild, and it took a physical toll on my body, my energy levels, long after I tested negative. It was a trying time and as my physical health declined, I noticed my mood dipping and my mental well-being wavering. That served as an alarm bell for me and I focused all my efforts intentionally on holistic recovery. In this blog post, I want to share with you the key points that helped me through that challenging period.
Be compassionate towards yourself
Cut yourself some slack. You’re going to function at a different level (perhaps more compromised) than before, and that’s okay. Regardless of what health condition you’re struggling with specifically, the reality is that the virus does have a negative impact on the body and it can manifest in different ways. For me, it meant drastically reduced stamina and energy, shortness of breath which meant that engaging in my normal activities was doubly hard. Every one of us have a certain energy reserve and when our body is trying to fight a virus, large bouts of that energy goes into those efforts, naturally leaving us lesser. Fighting against yourself is creating needless tension, increasing your stress hormones, working against your recovery.
So instead, I want to encourage you to be kind to yourself, ‘It’s okay to rest. it’s okay to feel like I’m not in tip top condition.’ Sometimes, it’s easier to be compassionate when it comes to aspects that are visible for example actual injuries, fever, flu, sore throat etc. But when its aspects like energy levels, which is not as visible, we might think whether we are just being lazy, whether we are making a big deal out of nothing. Don’t doubt yourself, there is absolutely no need to justify why you don’t feel as well yet when you’re coping with an illness. You have been inhabiting your body for such a long time, trust yourself that you are able to pick up nuances. Your body is communicating with you, listen to its cues and be compassionate towards yourself.
Be mindful of your thoughts
Even though the illness impacts us physically, we function as a holistic being and more often that not, our psychological state also gets impacted. Pay attention to your thoughts and you might notice that when the body is tired or feeling unwell, mood-congruent thoughts are common, thoughts that are tinged with negativity might creep in. Loneliness might intensify, thoughts like ‘nobody cares about me’ ‘I’m useless’ might come in, thoughts on normal days would be fend off easily comes in like a wrecking ball when you’re vulnerable. It’s tough but take a deep breath, put some distance between you and those thoughts, recognise that they may not be true, and hold off on making any important decisions till you feel better. It is tempting to accept the thoughts as true when they feel so true but be mindful of them and don’t let them go unfiltered.
Be willing to express your needs openly to others
Realistically, when you’re unwell, there are things you just cannot do for yourself. In addition to practical tasks, there is also the yearning for emotional support, for someone to be around. It is not embarrassing to ask someone for help. Reach out and connect to friends, loved ones, let them care for you. Make life easier for them by telling them exactly what you need, don’t expect the other person to know what you need. That potentially opens up misunderstandings, resentment, experiences you don’t need when you are already feeling unwell.
Cultivate a sense of gratitude
Negative feelings abound when we are physically or psychologically vulnerable. When I was recovering from COVID, I found myself yearning for some positive feelings, some joy, some light that could cut through the heaviness. I accessed it when I started looking around and acknowledging things I was grateful for (friends and loved ones that care, a quiet and peaceful house I could recover in, affordable and accessible medical help). Days went by easier and happier when I make an effort to be grateful and appreciate the little things that I perhaps otherwise take for granted (the ability to taste the wonderful flavours of food, the ability to move around without panting or aching). Whenever we take the time to focus on things that we are grateful for, we are actively generating positive ‘buzzes’ for ourselves in our brain, basking in positive feelings that has been shown to contribute to the maintenance of good physical health. By focusing on cultivating a sense of gratitude, we are focusing on our psychological and physical health. Take note that being grateful does not mean invalidating our suffering or our negative experiences, it is an intentional effort in addition to acknowledging our reality.
Hold on to hope
Holding on to hope that this challenging period would eventually pass helped me push through days that seemed impossible. ‘This is just temporary’ ‘This will be over soon’ were mantras I held onto. Even as some of you might be struggling with chronic conditions, I encourage you to hold onto hope that the worst days would be over soon.
It is my wish that no matter what you are going through at this moment, the above points might offer some help. If it feels difficult sometimes and you’re struggling, needing a professional to talk to, our team of clinicians at Elephant are here ready to support you.