Tips on self-care during difficult times

A woman risked her life to cross the overflowing Nairobi River in Mathare 4B to Mathare 4A Slums to get food donations on May 11, 2024. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

So much has been happening in the last few weeks, especially with the recent anti-government protests.

According to research published by the American Psychological Association, while following daily political news can negatively affect our mental health and well-being, disengaging from the news also has ramifications. 

The Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that thinking about daily political events evoked negative emotions in participants.

Symptoms that your mental health is affected are insomnia, poor eating habits, heightened anxiety, laziness, and lack of motivation, among others.

Jacque Gathu, a Counselling Psychologist gives tips on how to take care of yourself when facing difficult times.

Not all information is good: Limit the exposure to negative news. This includes social media posts as you will have people expressing themselves and speaking their truth.

You do not have to engage in back-and-forth as you try to convince them to see things from your point of view. It is also okay if you turn off your notifications for a while.

Get involved in your community: We all know helping others is good for your mental health.

Call a friend if you are feeling triggered and you need some debriefing. It helps because bottling it up is unhealthy.

Listen, respect and communicate: If a topic comes up and you do not fully agree, try to avoid aggressive discussion. Instead, you can focus on active listening, respectful debate and assertive communication.

Life must go on: Remember, despite the turmoil, you will still have to go through. Allocate time for things you love, like work-outs, going for walks, learning new skills, reading books of different genres, getting some rest, eating well, and spending more time with friends and loved ones.

If you have children, talk to them: Most adults assume that children do not understand what is going on. Keep an eye on them for any changes; are they easily irritated? How are their feeding habits? Sleeping patterns? Have an honest discussion with them and be truthful. Give them facts and allow them to ask questions.