In March last year, for the first time in my life, I received a letter which described me as an ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ individual. I’m 26, and prior to the moment the government advised me to begin shielding I’d never fully appreciated the seriousness of my chronic conditions.
I’ve lived with Colitis since I was 16, and was shocked to also be diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease while completing my final year at university at the ripe old age of 20. Both diseases can cause crippling symptoms, but in between flare-ups there can also be long periods of remission.
This has enabled me to maintain a somewhat ‘normal’ life and, despite making certain everyday situations more stressful, neither disease has prevented me from doing the majority of things a typical person my age would do. However, with the arrival of coronavirus, and the additional risks it posed to individuals with long-term health conditions, I suddenly began to feel extremely vulnerable.
I instantly left my shared city centre flat and moved back to my family home. I also opened up to work about my conditions, in order to request permission to stay at home for the entirety of the pandemic. Up until this point I’d concealed my health problems from the majority of my colleagues, as it always made me feel uncomfortable discussing them. However, the more people I began to tell, the more I actually became relaxed about the whole idea.
Surprisingly, the first few months in national lockdown with my parents went by fairly quickly. However, as restrictions began to ease off in early summer, and my friends returned to more ‘normal’ lives, the realisation of my alternative situation began to hit home. I swiftly became overwhelmed by my own thoughts. When will it be safe for me to interact with my friends again? How long will a vaccine take to develop? What if it takes years? This detrimental mindset would go on for the next few days and left me feeling very low and helpless.
I decided to reach out to my brother, who recommended a book: The PMA Effect by John Joseph. I took his advice, and it changed everything for me. I realised that in order to get through this tough mental challenge I would have to adopt a more positive mindset.
By focusing on the negatives all the time, I was completely dismissing the positives in my life. After all, I had two loving, supportive parents with me, a job which I could easily manage from home, and my existing health conditions were currently in check. I started to appreciate the little things in life more, and set about taking the necessary steps to ensure that I came out of this experience stronger and happier than I when I entered it.
So with almost a year of shielding knowhow, here are my top ten tips for maintaining that positive mental attitude:
1. Stop watching the news
You don’t need to be told three times a day that the situation is bad … you know it is.
2. Exercise
Since day one of lockdown, I’ve continued to go on runs and walks, avoiding typically popular exercising times.
3. Read
As the parameters of my life got smaller and smaller over the last year, reading opened my mind up to a whole other world of knowledge and thinking.
4. Live in the present
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that tomorrow is never guaranteed. Don’t brush today aside; make the best out of the situation, because every second is precious.
5. Buy a notebook and write
Throughout lockdown, I’ve found it helpful to write down anything that’s on my mind, including noting everything I’m grateful for, before I go to sleep. It’s a really easy technique to put any worries to rest.
6. Make the most of your spare time
You may never experience anything like this period again, so take out of it exactly what you want.
7. Mindfulness and meditation
Together, both of these solitary practices got me through the first wave. I’m far from a regular meditator, but when life began to take an uncertain course, escaping to my bedroom for 20 minutes of mindfulness helped me to find the inner peace that I craved.
8. Cook
Deciding what to eat, completing an online shop and then cooking each meal is a great activity for keeping the mind busy during lockdown.
9. Sleep right
Not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to your overall health. It’s imperative during this period that we stick to a schedule for waking up and hitting the hay.
10. Dry Covid
Giving up booze during the pandemic allowed me to really focus on maintaining that positive mental attitude. Without alcohol, I’ve been able to live through this experience with a clear mind, focusing my attention on more productive activities that are kinder to my mental health.
