Manage Your Stress and

Manage Your Stress and Anxiety during COVID-19

OCTOBER IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY GROUP (SADAG) PROVIDES SOME HELPFUL TIPS TO MANAGE YOUR STRESS AND ANXIETY DURING THIS TIME.

Maintain a daily routine When you run out of ideas, each other. Draw up a plan as much as possible – ask your friends and family and keep it visible. get up, get dressed, create a for ideas. Do small things Ask yourself what you to-do list, etc. every day that you enjoy can control – your at

Reduce the time you and help to lift your mood. titude, your thinking, your and your family spend If you take medicine home and caring for your watching or listening to every month, speak to body and mind. Focus on media coverage – filter your medical scheme and these things. what you are watching, pharmacist to get scripts Make it a part of your reading and listening to. fi lled in advance or arrange daily routine to reach out to

Yes, the situation is for home delivery. friends and family. Having a frightening, it’s frustrating, If you are really strugsense of connection and a and you feel out of control. gling to cope with the feeling of community is esAcknowledge that and allow situation, don’t be afraid sential for hope and healing. yourself specifi c time to sit to speak up. Call SADAG, The Online Toolkit on with those feelings – and talk to your therapist, and the SADAG website (www. then make sure you focus create a WhatsApp or sadag.org) has free and more time on the things you Facebook support group. reliable resources, online can control and do. Create Stay connected with videos, coping skills, online a list of things to do to keep people via technology - do tools and info on social disyourself busy and active – more video calls or phone tancing and self-isolation. even during social isolation. friends to catch up. Make a list that you can Thinking positively during SADAG Helplines provide free telephonic stick up on the fridge or in a crisis is easier said than counselling, information, referrals and your bedroom, make it pubdone. One of the best ways resources 7 days a week, 24 hours a lic so the whole family can to ground yourself is in fact, day – call 0800 21 22 23, 0800 70 80 90 add ideas (such as reading in science. Avoid watching or 0800 456 789 or the Suicide Helpline books you haven’t been or reading news or social 0800 567 567. able to get to for months, media, especially fake news, gardening, watching your where facts can become favourite movies, do someblurred and exaggerated. thing creative like painting, Listen to what acknowldrawing, poetry, listening to edged experts are saying your favourite music, trying about the virus. a new exercise at home or Discuss with family, cleaning out the cupboards friends and neighbours that you have been avoidwhat you can do to protect ing to do for months, etc.). yourselves and be there for