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Nature Sweetens the Bitter Taste of Isolation

Medical billing service, Healthcare heroes, coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, Mental Health Association, American Public Health Association

With restrictions applied nationwide and people under obligation to stay at home, our mental health is at risk. One way or the other, we must have a plan in place on how to get through the days in quarantine.

According to the Mental Health Association, 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition. This year the theme is, Tools 2 Thrive (#tools2thrive) that every person can use to help those who are suffering. As a result of this recent onslaught of COVID-19 across the United States, this figure of 1 in 5 could only worsen.

Whether it is by choice or fate, the state of isolation can be a big stressor and can easily develop into mental health symptoms.

Let’s look at a few ways to manage ourselves at such times.

Nature is therapeutic

Lisa M. Carlson, the President of the American Public Health Association, says and I am paraphrasing it: It is in nature that we must look for relief, peace, and contentment.

That’s true in every sense of the manner. She calls natural spaces, sacred places; to see the sunrise, feel the breeze, and breathe fresh air are all vital to our mental health. By experience, it is therapeutic to spend time in nature. Lisa also refers to it as medicine for the mind that doesn’t require a prescription.

A recent article reports that people who spend at least 120 minutes a week in nature are more likely to report a better mental state and wellbeing than those who don’t.

Furthermore, according to the same report, people, in general, spend more than 90% of their time indoors. And this stat was before the coronavirus pandemic. Now, as we can well imagine, the stats will only go higher.

As a medical billing service, P3 stays as close to nature as it can, encourages its employees to be friends with nature. Nature is a reservoir of oxygen that keeps us alive. It is the closeness with trees, plants, and flowers that helps us forget the painful present.

Connect with people

First, nature is our outlet to get through crises. Second, Carlson suggests, is to connect with each other. But, how?

With physical distancing as the new normal, how do we connect with other people?

We can still connect with people on the phone. I know hugging is out of the question; however, if we want to connect, we can still do that and at the same depth just by reimagining this connection. The channels that are available to us are audio, video, and group sessions with members outside the household – on apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Apple FaceTime.

For people inside the house – with certain distancing protocols - they can spend some quality time together. Remember, this is a pause that is given to us without even asking for it, thus, we ought to make good use of it.

Take walks not so far from home

While people and nature are vital to the natural fabric of human life, to make the most of it, we can talk little walks around the neighborhood. It doesn’t require us to socialize but merely to step outside our homes.

Some of us have the responsibility to stay at home, but while we are at it, we can take breaks of 2 to 3 minutes to go outside just for a stroll. Moreover, noticing trees, flowers, and plants around is nature’s way of healing the mind.

Therefore, give yourself a break to ease your mind and stay on your toes always ready to move.

Housework

When you feel the steam is up to your neck, put on your joggers to run a mile hard. When there is constant muscle movement, it fills the brain with happy hormones. The result is that you are in great shape, admirably fresh, and mentally free from stress.

More so, housework helps; once you have done your daily dose of exercise, spend the rest of the day restoring the house in order. These tasks could include laundry, dishes, cleaning, and anything that comes with a home.

Conclusion

While Healthcare heroes are out fighting on the front, we are fighting every day at our homes. We must win every battle because losing is not an option.

It is only a matter of perception; we have to train our minds to see the positive out of the negative.

Consider this time as a pause we always wished for, but life was always too busy around us, and we were stranded.

It could be the time to rethink and recreate our dreams from the confines of our homes; and build a new world around us of care, hope, and freedom.

Do you think the new world will be better than the world before coronavirus pandemic?
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Location: United States

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