5 Tips to Keep Your Mental Health Safe During Lockdown
A shooter has entered the building, and students are on lockdown in their classrooms, unsure of what’s to come. This scene isn’t something you see in movies or read about in books, but in today’s news cycle it’s becoming less and less uncommon. While there are no right ways to react during a school shooting, there are ways to keep your mental health safe during this harrowing event. These five tips will help you stay in control of your reactions so that you can focus on getting out of the situation alive.
1) Stay in contact with people
Being alone is one of the biggest risks for all students during a lockdown. Studies have shown that long periods of isolation can be extremely harmful for people with mental health conditions. If you know you’re going to be in a lockdown situation, make sure your family and friends know that you’re safe and how they can contact you (and vice versa). Encourage everyone—your parents, siblings, roommates—to call or text you regularly while it’s happening. Don’t forget about pets; they will often panic if they hear gunshots or explosions. Make sure whoever is taking care of them knows what’s going on so they can keep them calm. You might also want to consider getting animals away from windows or other places where they could see things that might upset them. Talk to someone: Having conversations with trusted individuals helps people cope better when bad things happen. It's important to talk about how you're feeling and express any worries or frustrations, which can relieve stress and help prevent unhealthy reactions like self-harm. When something traumatic happens, seek out someone who will listen without judgment and who won't tell you what to do, but who instead offers support when appropriate. Seek out resources: It's important not only to connect with others but also consult credible sources for information when there are major events occurring in your community as well as updates on what is happening after a lockdown has been lifted. There are plenty of online communities, crisis hotlines, and resources available to provide assistance at these times. Find them online by typing mental health into Google or talking to someone in your school counselor's office about local services. Reaching out for help during these tough times can be crucial to helping you get through this difficult time period. Sometimes, it may be helpful to speak with a professional counselor. A therapist can help address concerns related to trauma or PTSD symptoms and work through feelings of distress stemming from being in the midst of an event such as a lockdown. We offer free counseling sessions here at our clinic and would love to meet with you if this lockdown affects you deeply! Please reach out if you need anything, we are here for you.
Here are some things you can do in advance to prepare yourself before lockdowns occur: Add emergency numbers to your phone contacts. This includes hotlines set up specifically for lockdowns, law enforcement officials, and close friends/family members. As a last resort, if cellular networks become overloaded or inaccessible due to emergencies, use older technology like landline phones where possible during extreme situations in case of emergencies.
2) Listen to your body
Is your body telling you that it needs a break? It’s important that you listen and honor what your body is telling you. You know your limits better than anyone else, so if something isn’t feeling right, ask for help. Similarly, if there are certain days where everything feels as though it is on fire, take care of yourself by sitting out for a few days or letting someone else run point. Although work will be waiting for you when you get back, at least by taking care of yourself first, your brain and body can recover and return to optimal performance levels. Just make sure to return fully recharged and ready to crush whatever challenges may come in your path! If this is your first time being involved in an event like this, prepare for some rough patches. What do I mean by rough patches? When those who are experiencing depression go into a shutdown (either because they have experienced trauma or the stressors around them outweigh their ability to function), their normal coping skills might not work effectively. If you find yourself struggling with getting through the day or doing anything without crying, please reach out for help and talk about how you’re feeling with someone close to you. If not because of trauma related PTSD from being present during the event, then from all the media coverage which often portrays events inaccurately and sensationalizes things beyond comprehension- it's common sense to expect that folks are going to feel anxious, afraid, etcetera. These feelings are called Acute Stress Disorder and should be treated with validation and self-care. A few symptoms include: inability to sleep well, hypervigilance, nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts or memories. When these symptoms occur within four weeks of exposure to traumatic event (such as lockdown) or last more than one month after exposure stop, they could indicate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms should be taken seriously and addressed accordingly.
What does mental health recovery look like? Time plays a big role in helping people heal from what has happened over the past couple months; however here are five tips that you can use now to keep your mental health safesafesafesafesafesafe
3) Surround yourself with as many familiar things as possible
School lockdown situations can be frightening and overwhelming, so it's important that you have things around you that are comforting. Bring a blanket or pillow with you (or anything else that will make you feel safe). Having familiar objects nearby may help ease your anxiety or give you a sense of normalcy. You might also want to talk with a friend before lockdown if possible—they could even come sit with you during it! If not, ask someone for a hug when lockdown ends. And keep talking about your experience—you don't have to go into details if you don't want, but talking about something traumatic like a school shooting might help in dealing with feelings and healing over time. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. It's a free service offered by the government to provide free support and resources for people who need emotional assistance or simply just need someone to talk to.
What other ways can we protect our mental health? How do I know if I'm having a panic attack? What are some tips on how to deal with one? What do I do after my panic attack has ended? One of the most important steps to take after a panic attack is self-care. Eating healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep, exercising, and practicing mindfulness meditation can all help reduce stress levels and decrease the chance of another attack. Talk therapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy) or medications prescribed by your doctor may also be helpful in treating chronic anxiety disorders. Lastly, remember that everyone experiences occasional worries and anxieties; there's no shame in taking care of yourself!
4) Avoid hard news
When under lockdown, you’re probably going to be separated from your normal routine. That means potentially missing a bit of news and information you normally keep up with (aka hard news). However, it can be easy to become immersed in what’s happening (craziness!) and how terrible things are (despair!), so try not to get sucked into that world. If you find yourself being bombarded by really scary stories or constantly checking in with friends, remove yourself from these situations as soon as possible. It’s tempting to want constant updates on what’s happening, but it will only make your time in lockdown more difficult if you let it overtake your mental space. Remember that this is temporary, so stay focused on the fact that everything is going to go back to normal when the lockdown ends. Remind yourself often that everyone will be fine. Try to sleep: Be aware of how much you’ve been sleeping lately, especially since there may have been disruptions in your regular sleeping pattern due to the lockdown. Resting is crucial for keeping our mental health safe during a lockdown, and we need sleep for many other important bodily functions too! The need for sleep might feel intense now because there are fewer distractions around like TV or social media. Take care of your physical needs: Make sure you drink plenty of water and eat enough food throughout the day so that your body has all its basic needs met. Reach out to those close to you: Talking about the lockdown can be both an exhausting and freeing experience. You should never underestimate the power of communication, especially in times like these where communication seems impossible. Reach out to people who are close to you - whether they live nearby or far away - and talk about what’s happening. Expressing your feelings through words is a good way to cope with them in a healthy way instead of bottling them up inside until they come spilling out later on down the line. And remember, don't forget about yourself either! Go out for walks outside, do some yoga stretches at home, spend time getting lost reading books - whatever helps relax you best - take some time just for yourself today without feeling guilty about it!
5) Reach out for help if needed
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, even a quick check-in with someone can give you some relief. This may be as simple as emailing or texting a close friend that you want to talk, or something more involved like scheduling an appointment with an on-campus counselor. These services are available from CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) and they’re free and confidential. If you feel like your mental health is at risk or if things are getting out of control, visit them right away—don’t wait until it’s too late. Remember: No matter what happens during lockdown, your safety comes first. It is not selfish to put yourself first when dealing with stressful circumstances. Sometimes the best thing you can do for others is take care of yourself.
Stop using social media, internet browsing, TV news: Social media can make people feel worse because of seeing everyone else experiencing the same stress without any resolution in sight. It’s also easy to get drawn into negative discussions about the event online without meaning to. Turning off your phone and computer will help stop this cycle by reducing exposure to upsetting information.
Talk about how you're feeling rather than hiding it: When we hide our feelings, they often build up inside us until we have no idea how we really feel anymore! Communicating openly and honestly helps to release tension and create a sense of ease. Talking through your thoughts, emotions, and experiences with trusted friends will remind you that there are people who care about you who understand where you're coming from.
Don't isolate yourself: You may think isolating oneself is better for mental health during times like these, but isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can worsen mental well-being. Connecting with others over these troubling events provides support for both parties. Sharing experiences creates a deeper understanding of one another and fosters connection. Isolation only exacerbates feelings of depression and anxiety, so try to reach out to friends before turning inward. One effective way to do this is by volunteering. Giving back to those in need has shown to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. With the campus community working together, we can all stay safe and healthy throughout the shutdown. As always, if you ever need anything please don't hesitate to reach out.
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