How does this quarantine affect your mental health?

How does this quarantine affect your mental health? Although it is the best way to stop this virus from spreading, quarantining is not easy and it has some mental health consequences if we don’t learn how to cope with it. How are you feeling during these long days of quarantine? Are you looking after your mental and physical health? Here’s how quarantine can affect our mental health. We hope you find this article useful!

Quarantine and Isolation

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease. Most of us are not in isolation, but in quarantine, which means that our movements are restricted, but we may not be sick.

Where does the word Quarantine come from?

The practice of quarantine began during the 14th century in order to protect coastal cities from plague epidemics.  Ships arriving in Venice from infected ports were required to sit at anchor for 40 days before landing. This practice, called quarantine, was derived from the Italian words quaranta giorni which mean 40 days.

Possible effects of quarantine

How does this quarantine affect your mental health? Considering the effects of past quarantines, we can say that there are some consequences that are quite common. Among them, we can find insomnia, low mood, stress, irritability and confusion. Such feelings are normal given the circumstances. However, there are steps you can take to protect your mental health and well-being while coping with a quarantine.

There is some evidence that there may be longer-term consequences as well. Substance and alcohol dependency was more common up to three years after quarantine.

It is important to remember that everyone copes with stress differently and that we all react in our own way. Some people may be better able to weather a quarantine for a wide variety of reasons including factors such as resilience and overall personality.

Factors that influence how you cope with quarantine

As we have said, there are many factors that determine whether we are going to cope well with something or not. These factors include: your current mental health, how do you manage stress, your personality and how does the quarantine last.

Recommendations to cope with quarantine

We all know it is not easy to be in quarantine. That’s why we need to take into account some helpful tips to overcome this period successfully.

On the one hand, it is very important to establish a routine. The reason why we say this is that by establishing a routine you will be much more productive and, therefore, you will feel much better. Also, by doing so, you will maintain your sleeping schedule and this will benefit your general well-being. Try not to go to bed too late, as this will probably make you lose a lot of energy on the following day. On the other hand, you mustn’t forget the importance of practicing sport. We all know how beneficial it is, and it is even more important now given the situation we are living in.

Distract yourself by reading or doing something you like and disconnect from the devices for a while. You will notice a sense of tranquility, which will make you feel more relaxed and calm. It is important to be informed, but we have to limit the information, as it can become overwhelming. Also, remember to communicate with others and empathize with the suffering of those who are living a difficult time. Last, but not least, remember why we are doing this because it will make you be more committed with the cause.

And remember, we are always here for you! Don’t doubt contacting us in case you need medical assistance!