Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Mental Health Post-pandemic
It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic and during our transition out of the pandemic. What you may have been experiencing last year, such as exhaustion, fear, loss and risk of infection, can be very different from what you are experiencing today. But studies have shown that past crises contribute to burnout, substance misuse, and PTSD among health care workers, and we know the trauma of the pandemic will last for some time.
So how are you coping these days? Do you need to implement minor enhancements to your daily routine or seek immediate help? We’ve provided links to get urgent support and suggestions for easy-to-implement changes in your lifestyle to bring more positivity and a higher quality of self-care to help you live healthy, fulfilling lives.
Immediate Help is Available:
If you feel you are at risk for taking your own life or know someone else who may be, seek help right away. There are many ways to get help, including:
- Call 911 or go to your local emergency room
- Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Veterans can call and then press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
- Text the Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741).
- Call your health care or mental health provider
- Reach out to a loved one or close friend
Need some inspiration to improve your mental health and overall happiness?
The key to self-care is actively seeking out what makes you feel better. Whether that is connecting with others, volunteering, quiet time alone or being physically active, schedule time every day for yourself.
The Academy launched its physician wellness web pages five years ago. Check out these ideas to help boost your mental health:
Give yourself time to heal at your own pace. Bookmark this page and come back to it weekly. Try one link at a time and see what inspires you to make positive changes in your daily routine and your overall mental health.