Is There A Mental Cure?

Physical isolation in a sea of people that you can feel, hear and see is a challenge. Mental health in the midst of COVD-19 seems to be one of the overlooked tragedies in this battle. Ventilators have replaced mouths. Respirators have replaced ears. Steroids have replaced common sense ( well that left long time ago! ). Yet, among the nurses protesting. The rise of domestic violence. Mental health, has been swept aside. It’s as though those suffering silently, have become invisible. Silent. Mute! Deaf! Usually, there would be a witty response, but this will be a pretty vanilla, no chocolate, walnuts, cherries, or froth ice-cream piece. Just straight, sugar free vanilla sherbert.

Sheltering-in-place has created an internal prison. This internal prison has anxiety sufferers lose their grips on reality ( disassociation) Why is that? Sadly, when someone suffers from anxiety, or personal stress levels are overloaded, sudden death, rapid heart rate, and impending doom overtakes their mind. Once this cycle begins, its almost impossible, to reverse this process without medication, a friend to talk to, or sadly other means.

Dealing with emotions of solitude in a pandemic is not easy. Single people hear every every creak. The faintest water drop. Even the neighbors cat in the window. Yes, the cat is mocking you. Just accept it.

Even the neighbors cat in the window. Yes, the cat is mocking you. Just accept it.

All of these real scenarios, can ratchet up the psyche’s airways and create a vacuum. In this vacuum, it’s easy to be pulled into the rabbit hole of disparaging thoughts. Sometimes those thoughts are harmful, which begs the question: “Is there a mental cure?”

The short answer is maybe. As long as stress exist there will be those who are overly anxious. To help our worriers, or profoundly deep thinkers, we have to understand their point of view. True, we all are suffering in that we can’t go to our favorite pub, club, or kick it spot ( aka the diner with the crew ). These individuals meanwhile, are suffering from an unseen place. At times they walk past you without making contact, because they are simply trying to manage point A to B.

If you are thinking of a cure, as a pill, that treats a symptom. Symptoms are masked over, rather than healed. There’s an ongoing discussion in how to aide those who ache from forced seclusion. Consequently, maybe that’s the cure, open communication with a view to help, rather than medicate. Just maybe the simplest answer is: let those who agonize; unload, unwind and uncoil.

Let' COVID-19 help us all discover a better pathway to mental health for all of us who survive our confined physical and imagined borders.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels