Protecting Your Mental Health During Covid-19

As law-enforcement officers and administrative staff in law-enforcement, your job will often be quite stressful. In addition to the usual rigours, we are now dealing with the covid19 pandemic that has hit the world hard and this has changed our lives in so many ways. While the whole world struggles with fear, anxiety and often confusion based on the death statistics, a deluge of information and sometimes misinformation, you too have to deal with your own feelings, the issues raised by family members and also coworkers. Here are a few things to consider as you seek to create a balance.

• Take care of yourself. Keep a regular sleep schedule, ensure that you eat healthy meals, and spend time outdoors, either being physically active or relaxing. Exercise boosts your mood and provides physical benefits. If you work from home, set a regular time to end your work for the day, if possible.

• Seek support when you need it. Having a good support system is so helpful. Have a few friends you can call on, with whom you can share comfortably and get a load off your chest. If you need professional help, you do have access to a confidential and professional counselor through your work place.

• Know the facts about COVID-19. Be informed about how to protect yourself and others. Understanding the risks and sharing accurate information with people you care about can reduce stress.

• Identify things to be grateful for daily. Having a daily gratitude habit - whether it be telling yourself what you’re grateful for as you wake up or writing 3 things you are grateful for before bed - can help you to see that there are still good things in your life, which increases your optimism.

• Practice stress management techniques

  • Avoid certain people and places and things

  • Adapt – allow yourself to fit into the scheme of things because our reality has changed.

  • Alter – change what you can…use your mask, go out less

  • Accept – some things we have no control over and worrying about them just brings frustration

Consider what has worked for you in the past when you have dealt with stressful situations

• Have positive coping patterns. If you feel you may be misusing alcohol or other drugs (including prescription drugs) as a means of coping, reach out for help. Gambling, pornography or cigarette smoking might seem like a solution, but they create problems if you become dependent or addicted to them. Healthy coping patterns means acknowledging what you are dealing with and finding solutions that do not hurt you.

If you are being treated for a mental health condition, continue with your treatment and be aware of any new or worsening symptoms. If you are having difficulty concentrating, having anxiety or panic attacks or if you relationship is being affected because of your feelings, seek help.

Your mental health matters. Protect it.