Coping with Covid-19 and the Level 5 restrictions - top tips for Kilkenny people from Irish psychologists

Mental health has never mattered more as we head into not only the challenging winter months and the Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, according to leading Irish psychologists with Perspectives Ireland who want to help you to cope.

According to the “Adjusting to COVID-19" study by Dublin City University's School of Psychology, Irish people have suffered significantly greater mental health issues during Covid-19, with increasing levels of loneliness and social isolation, less tolerance of uncertainty, and lower perceived control over their lives.

Perspectives Ireland have the following advice for Irish people to help them stay as well as possible at this difficult time: 

• Try to go outside for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Notice how the ground feels under your feet, the smells, how the air feels on your face, notice your thoughts (whether you’re drawn to thinking about the kids, or work), notice how you may feel, and try to own all of this experience, including any guilt you may have for taking this time to yourself.
• Notice how you can have all of these experiences (good or bad) and still make time for you. 
• If you can’t go outside, make a space in your home for you where you are physically away from the overwhelming details of routine.
• Try to use this space to re-ground yourself away from all those details.
• Remember this is not about distracting from the details, it’s about giving yourself permission to make this space for you and trying to own every aspect of it.
• If you can’t physically make a space in your home, then at least make time for you – have a bath, or have a cup of coffee, read a book – take some time for yourself.
• Take an extra 5-10 minutes each day to write down any part of your experience today that was affected by coronavirus or its restrictions and ask yourself was that difficult for you and how might it be possible to compensate for anything that was difficult or was taken away from you.

Dr Yvonne Barnes-Holmes is the co-founder of Perspectives Ireland.

“Losing things that meant so much to us is hard, and the fabric of every day is now plain and less meaningful. Our routines have changed, and opportunities to break out of this routine have been taken away. Our regular socialising has been brought to a standstill with the latest restrictions. This means we are now much more trapped by our routines and they are becoming overwhelming as Covid-19 stretches across a much longer period of time than we had anticipated or prepared for.

Dr. Ciara Mc Enteggart, Co-Founder of Perspectives Ireland, said the take-home message is simple.

"Find a place and time where you can own something again that is just for you. We never give ourselves enough time. This is even more important during the six weeks of level five restrictions because we have lost the other things that make us feel fulfilled,” she said.

Perspectives Ireland are running a free webinar to discuss these issues and advise people how people can value ourselves more in these difficult times. 

“How to Value Yourself More” takes place on November 16 at 1 pm. Link to register https:// perspectivesireland.ie/free- webinar-on-how-to-value- yourself-more/

For more information, visit www.perspectivesireland.ie