Covid-19 has amplified mental health
distress amongst the majority of healthcare professionals. Long hours, a heavy
workload, fear of contacting the virus, stresses of work and study, balancing
work and personal responsibilities, burnout, less contact with patients, social
distancing and many more factors could be rated as areas that contribute to
mental health issues among doctors during these uncertain times.
The general work experience for
Australian doctors is stressful and demanding. In the National Mental
Health Survey of Doctors and Medical Students, Doctors reported substantially higher rates of psychological
distress and suicidal thoughts compared to both the Australian population and other Australian professionals. The research findings revealed
that doctors have a greater degree of resilience to the negative impacts of
poor mental health.
While the pandemic continues to
spread across boundaries, it potentially increases the work demands of
healthcare professionals and limits their time for relaxation and recovery. The
International Labour Organisation found that the pandemic has resulted in up to
20 per cent of healthcare workers suffering from anxiety and depression.
Hence as a doctor its crucial to maintain
your mental and emotional health. Good mental health is more than just the
absence of mental illness. If you are a doctor going seeking to improve your
emotional wellbeing, here are 7 tips for building good mental health amidst
Covid-19.
1. Take
adequate breaks.
Spending time continuously occupied
with work has clear negative consequences for performance and wellbeing. More
than a century ago, Japanese student Tsuro Arai provided a firm evidence that
(predictably) humans cannot maintain cognitive performance over 12 hours
without a break. Instead, performance becomes slower and less accurate due to
fatigue and stress. Today healthcare workers regularly work lengthy periods
without a break, trying to deal with a pandemic that has been ongoing for over
an year in an already over-stretched health service. Therefore, when you move
on to the next phase of the pandemic it’s more important than ever to
prioritise taking adequate breaks. It can potentially increase your
performance, wellbeing, and safety.
2.
Recognize the importance of your work
Remind yourself that despite the
current challenges and frustrations, your contribution towards the recovery of
people has been massive. You are taking care of those in need at a time of
great uncertainty. Be sure to take a moment to recognize the efforts and
sacrifices made by you and your colleagues.
3.
Support Colleagues
Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an internationally recognised framework
that you might find helpful in supporting your colleagues. It involves offering
supportive and practical help to others through compassionate listening,
· Providing practical care and support
where necessary
· Helping people address basic needs
and concerns
· Helping people connect to
information, services and social supports
· Comforting people and helping them
to feel calm
· Reducing distress and fostering
adaptive coping and
· Protecting people from further harm.
4.
Get enough sleep, exercise and stay
healthy
Sleep, rest and relaxation are
essential to keep you working at your best. This is even more true, when faced
with a challenge on the scale of the covid-19 pandemic. When you are under
pressure, stress and woe, it can be more challenging to rest, relax, or sleep well.
As an initiative you can:
-
Keep
a consistent routine for bedtime and, especially, wake time.
- Stick to regular exercise routines as much
as you can; exercise can help with both your
physical and mental health, as well
as your sleep.
-
Eat
regular, healthy meals, and stay hydrated, especially when at work
- Take small breaks in the daytime – if you
are over-tired at bedtime, sleep could often be difficult.
5.
Practice Meditation
Being involved in spiritual or
religious practices can improve wellbeing, help in coping with stress and
reduce symptoms of mental illness. This can include meditation, prayer, mindfulness or yoga. Meditation
is one of the best ways to improve your mental and physical health. Of course,
it takes time, patience and practice to meditate. But the benefits of it
shouldn’t be underestimated. Meditation manage the symptoms of many health
conditions, including anxiety, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure,
pain and sleep problems.
6.
Communicate
· Make sure to access health support
regularly, be it mental or physical check-ups.
· Reach out to your work colleagues,
manager and other trusted persons for social support – they may be having
similar experiences to you, especially during this time of uncertainty.
· Talk with family and friends whenever
possible, this can help you relieve some of the stress accumulated by work and
you might feel less isolated.
7.
Seek help if you need it
While practising healthy lifestyle
habits and avoiding the trap of maladaptive behaviours, make sure to seek
professional help when its needed. There are many accessible mental health and
psychosocial support services
across Australia to seek advice on self-care strategies that can help
reduce stress.
Here are a few self-care resources
that might help:
Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Glasgow. The little book of wellbeing
Royal College of Physicians of
Edinburgh. Wellbeing and support for Physicians
World Health Organization. Coping with stress during the 2019-nCoV outbreak
You
can also contact a support service such as:
- Beyond Blue:
online and telephone support. Call 1300 22 4636
- eheadspace: online and telephone
support and counselling to young people and their families and friends.
Call 1800 650 890
Resources:
https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4148
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