A New Zealander's guide to mental health during a pandemic
She’ll be right! - A New Zealanders guide to mental health during a pandemic.
She'll be right (often followed by a friendly term of address such as mate) is a frequently used idiom in Australian and New Zealand culture that expresses the belief that "whatever is wrong will right itself with time" (Wikpedia).
Nobody really likes change, less so with change we cannot control. Throughout the year we’ve spent a significant amount of time changing our behaviour, our habits and our focus, not all of it is good for us. And while the almost automatic kiwi reaction to most upsets is “She’ll be right”, we’re really not certain that it will be in the short term. So, what can we do to preserve the iconic stoicism in a healthy way? Here are my tips on keeping the old angst at bay:
Step 1: Spend some time with your current thoughts and habits, what patterns can you see?
Are you “doom scrolling” through social media under the guise of staying informed?
Is social media creeping in to your life as a key news source rather than reliable media outlets?
Are you being sucked into the odd conspiracy theory?
(Be honest with yourself) are you drinking more than usual?
Do you feel like there little point to your daily activities?
Are you often irritable or quick to blame?
Do daily issues seem bigger and scarier than they usually would?
Do you give yourself a list of tasks to achieve each day that’s more than you could possibly do and then feel bad when you don’t complete it?
Step 2: Consider the advice given to us by the World Health Organisation:
Get up and go to bed at similar times every day.
Keep up with personal hygiene.
Eat healthy meals at regular times.
Exercise regularly.
Allocate time for working and time for resting.
Make time for doing things you enjoy.
Step 3: Now that you’ve identified what you can control, pick one or two small changes and see how you go, for instance, I chose to stop trying to get everything done on my list each day, drink a little less wine and move a little more.
Step 4: Give yourself permission to feel unsettled about all the uncertainty, but do something different after an hour, actively stop dwelling on the negative and give your brain a break. If I find myself spending too long in the grip of negativity, I have to get up and physically do something with my hands to stop, I’ll fold some washing or take to dog for a walk. I have to avoid bad news for a bit too, so once a week, I’ll stop looking at social media for most of the day and instead read a book or sit in the sun for an hour.
Of course, if you feel like your mental health isn’t improving or you’d like to speak with somebody about it, you should. You can reach out to a trusted family member; friend and you can also get help here: Lifeline 0800 543 354 or (09) 522 2999 or text 1737 to speak with a trained counsellor anytime for support.
Best wishes,
Sue Walton
Manager - ManageACC
m 027 210 4918
