To those who are constantly escaping when unwanted thoughts creep in, to those who keep themselves busy to avoid overthinking, to those who are always on the run hoping that their overwhelming feelings will suddenly disappear — I am here, I hear you. This is for you, for us.

The global pandemic hit us without warning. No one was ready for the changes it brought; being forced to isolate, working from home for those who are still lucky to have jobs, holding on tightly to all of our savings, and trying to adapt to this new normal. While some businesses thrived, a lot unfortunately didn’t.

All these things got me thinking that we would never really know what will happen next. We still don’t even know how long we are going to fight to fully recover and adjust to the current normalities. 

Since I am a very introverted person, I enjoyed staying at home at first, but then community quarantine went on for months and months. People all over the world expressed their opinions about the pandemic, which led to a lot of conflict in social media. There were also issues about countries fighting over territories, the number of COVID-19 cases increasing, and people struggling financially. These issues continued to bombard my social media feed and the news. Being isolated from everyone and unable to do the things I usually do to escape my deep thoughts, I found myself immersed deeply into what was happening, which led me to develop anxiety. Realizing how extreme the situation is also made it worse. After 3-4 months in isolation, I made a deliberate choice to deactivate my social media and avoid the news.

My mental health wasn’t at its best during the pandemic. I couldn’t escape my scary thoughts. I couldn’t go out to unwind and do something I love to get my mind off of things. I couldn’t travel, I couldn’t talk to people in person. The only thing that made me happy back then was the arrival of my online orders.

One morning, when the rest of my family were still asleep, it finally hit me that I cannot endure this much longer and that I needed to do something. Since then, I began listening to podcasts, reading articles about mental health, joining online worship groups, and exercising even more. I listed out the things I’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have the time to learn. I also did breathing exercises and self-affirmation meditations.

As I was facing this battle, I realized that mental health is so complex and that I wasn’t the only one struggling. I learned to understand myself more and more, which helped me control my thoughts — where they’re coming from, the emotional traumas that caused them, and how to tone them down when everything seems very overwhelming. I have this tendency to escape whenever I feel engulfed in my thoughts, but this pandemic forced me to face them and do something. Up to this day, I am proud that I am braver than before. Sure, anxieties can always creep in, but the affirmations I learned will help me get through them.

Here are some things I did to move past it:

Research

I am the type of person who always goes through things alone. I don’t talk much, especially about the things that I’ve been feeling. When it got very overwhelming, I sought comfort in research. I listened to a lot of podcasts regarding anxiety and mental health and it really helped me. 

Acknowledge

One thing I learned about feelings is that THEY WILL PASS. When I get stressed out about something, I close my eyes, breathe, and acknowledge my feelings. I narrate to myself what my current mood is and repeat to myself that it will pass, while continuously taking deep breaths.

Workout

Exercising really helped me cope. I remember when I was constantly juggling between online meetings and work, plus the news I would read about the pandemic. I would just get up, put on my running shoes and go for a jog inside our subdivision while listening to a podcast. This routing became my therapy during the pandemic. I wasn’t aiming to lose weight (but that’s a bonus), but I just needed this to cool my mind down.

Write

This may work for some, including me. Since I was in high school, I would write my feelings away. I keep a journal to track my thoughts and do some brain-dumping when I feel like decluttering my mind. Journaling also helped me track my overall well-being. There are these youtube tutorials on journaling tips and tricks which can really be helpful. I tried mapping my moods and trying to develop habits. But mostly, writing is a form of release of my creativity and crowded mind.

Disengage

Deactivating my social media was a decision I made in mid-2020 when everything was chaotic and I felt like spiraling down to the unknown. I also stopped watching the news, instead, I focused more on myself and rested my mind. What I did was watch self-healing materials, listen to music and podcasts, and just focused on the things that interest me. This was a big swing since I relied so much on my social media before, but now, I learned how to balance my usage and unfollow the things (and people) that give me negative energy.

Talk

I know that the pandemic hinders us from seeing our loved ones and friends. Good thing technology is constantly advancing and making the world a little smaller, enabling us to reach out to people. While I seldom talked to my friends during the pandemic since I am not a fan of video calls, it’s also great to have the option of giving them a call and scheduling a virtual hang out to catch up. Communicating also helps in times of struggle, so we can share and help others as well.

Meditate

Almost every morning after my workout, I would insert a quick 5-10 minutes mediation session or breathing exercises with affirmations to set my intentions for the day. Until now, I still have a guided meditation app on my phone for whenever I feel the need to calm down and be in the present. I was skeptical at first since I really don’t know how to meditate. I just learned through a lot of podcasts about mental health that this was one of the major habits that helped them. So one morning, after my 10k steps workout, I took my mat, sat down, put my earphones on, and listened to a guided meditation. It really refreshes your mind and calms your thoughts. 

Pray

I have never prayed harder than during the pandemic. If God was to count the times I call out to him during those times, He may have lost His count. God has always been a part of me and knowing that there is a Supreme being up there always gives me hope. I joined online worship and sharings which led me to have more friends with whom I can share my spirituality to. This applies to all, no matter what religion, praying always helps.

We may all have different ways of coping, but we all have one thing in common: We’re all continuously striving to survive and win over our demons. There’s this famous saying “the only way to get past the pain is to go through it”. I strongly believe that one of the keys to living a happy life is being able to control what we can control and let go of the things beyond our power. Our thoughts are stronger than we think, it influences our whole mentality and character, the only thing who has the power to control it is us.