Crystal Han is a freelance writer and artist . She graduated from San José State University with a BFA in Animation / Illustration and is an aspiring novelist , currently working on two books .

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic , it ’ s easy to focus on the disease and how it harms us physically . We may not realize that it ’ s also affecting our mental health . Feelings such as grief and depression resulting from the pandemic can do just as much damage as the disease itself . 2020 has been a hard road for all of us , but that road will be much harder if we ignore our mental health .

something in 2020 . We ’ ve lost our normal way of life and our ability to have carefree get-togethers . Many of us have lost jobs or businesses and are struggling to get by . Some of us have lost loved ones , whether to COVID-19 , to the fires ravaging California , or to accidents or natural causes . What ’ s even more heartbreaking is that many of us are unable to gather , both to say goodbye to loved ones or to celebrate life ’ s joys . Pandemics , civil unrest , and natural disasters are stressful enough on their own , but this year we ’ ve been forced to contend with all of them at once . It ’ s enough to wear down even the toughest among us and cause us to resign to the worst case scenario , which only compounds our troubles .

Grief can often bring out the worst in us . According to Healthline , we ’ re more likely to be on edge when we ’ re grieving , which can lead to overreacting and snapping at others . Small obstacles can suddenly feel intolerable . Working , seeking new employment , fighting for a cause , or just trying to stay informed with everything going on in the world may feel impossible . It might help to know that all of these feelings and reactions are normal . We all deserve a huge pat on the back for making it this far . Grief is normal and necessary . However , we must do our best to keep it from spiraling into depression or something worse .

Both grief and depression can cause extreme sadness and withdrawal from the world . Although there is no timestamp for how long a person grieves or in what way , eventually those feelings subside enough for us to resume our daily lives . With depression those feelings of sadness , hopelessness , and worthlessness may never go away without intervention . It saps our vitality so that even the smallest tasks seem overwhelming .

Here ’ s some good news : whether you ’ re in the midst of grief or depression , there are many things you can do to find relief . Healthline and numerous other sites on depression emphasize that the most important thing to do is to practice self-care . This means doing basic things like getting enough sleep , eating a healthy diet , and participating in enjoyable activities . Additionally , try to avoid negative people and things that might trigger anxiety and depression , like the news . Adding exercise to your self-care routine is crucial . Research shows that aerobic activities like jogging , cycling , walking , dancing , and even gardening can reduce the effects of grief and depression by shifting a person ’ s physiologic reactivity to stress .

If even self-care seems daunting right now , Psychology Today suggests practicing “ behavioral activation .” Say you don ’ t feel like going for a walk , but you go anyway . Your thoughts are likely to shift from , “ Ugh , I don ’ t want to move ” to “ this isn ’ t so bad ” to “ this actually feels good .” This is behavioral activation in action . This proven cognitive behavioral therapy technique increases your contact with positive , rewarding activities . Choose a specific positive action to do each day that

will likely improve your mood . Notice and acknowledge when you don ’ t feel like doing it because you ’ re feeling down , then opt to do it anyway . Notice how your thoughts and feelings might improve or how good it makes you feel .

Ironically , the times when we don ’ t want to see or speak to anyone are often when we need to the most . Feeling connected to others is essential for our mental health . It ’ s what gets us through the dark times . Whether you feel like keeping the conversation light and pleasant or you feel like venting your frustrations , interacting safely with friends and family may help keep depression from spiraling out of control .

Engaging in acts of service and small acts of kindness is another way to give us what James Baraz and Shoshana Alexander from the Greater Good Science Center at the University of Berkeley describe as a “ helper ’ s high .” These acts can also help you feel calmer and increase feelings of self-worth . There are countless ways you can help others right now . You could donate to charities , drop off food and supplies to your local food pantry , foster animals from your local shelter , or send thank you cards to health care worker in your area .

Please visit our website for more ways to help locally . By helping others , we are also helping ourselves .

No matter what you are going through right now , you are worthy of support . Your feelings and struggles are completely understandable . You are not alone . If you ever need help , a list of places you can reach out is located on page 90 .

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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN WINTER 2021 gmhtoday . com