Let’s not forget mental health: Shefali Jariwala to Arjun Bijlani; TV celebs talk about its importance during social distancing

The self-isolation period may take a toll on the mental health and celebrities have been talking about the importance to keep engaged during social distancing. Owning to the coronavirus outbreak, PM Narendra Modi announced 21-day nationwide lockdown staring from March 25. Etimes TV spoke to several TV celebs and mental health therapist about how to deal with anxiety, depression and engage in self-love and care. (By: Sukarna Mondal & Vijaya Tiwari)

One small request… let’s not stigmatize an illness! A virus has to be fought with understanding empathy n humanity! Please practice social distancing but if any one you know is ill don’t make them feel unwanted! Time to fight a disease ...with love n care for those who have it! There r many ways to touch someone without touching.

This pandemic is affecting everyone’s lives. It is forcing changes in people’s routines and for many people, it is affecting their jobs and their income … For many people, this increased stress can exacerbate underlying health conditions. It can bring increased depression and anxiety. It’s time to recognise if you’re feeling anxious or stressed and accept that it's normal. One has to find ways to manage it, so it doesn't get the best of you. Stay in touch with friends and family. Stay active, exercise and eating a balanced diet helps. One has to maintain a sense of routine. Find some time to still have value to your day, life cannot be just eating and sleeping. I have been reading, painting, cooking and cleaning. That has helped me keep busy and also manage stress. A near-constant stream of news reports about an outbreak can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. It feels like a Infodemic of misinterpretation spreading, causing panic. Seek information updates only from trusted sources and the WHO website and avoid listening to or following rumours that make you feel uncomfortable. It’s much more valuable to everyone to cut yourself some slack, use the time to reflect on the important things, and try to keep a sense of “we’re all in this together” at the forefront.

Mental health is important. I am listening to B.K. Shivani's discourses and spending quality time with wife and dog musky. Positive thoughts and vibrations are important. The corona scare is frightening but panicking is surely not the solution. One must focus on positive well being. One must value what one has.

Mental health in our country is still not taken seriously. They think that talking about depression is a way to seek attention. Mental health is not covered in medical insurance as well. There was some weeks in my life when I used to wake up and feel like sh*t. It even scared me to think if I have depression because I had no one to talk to. Thankfully, there are therapists and healers. But Indians still lack sensitivity towards this. The best way to tackle this is workout physically. When you workout, happy hormones are released. You will feel productive. Also filter your news feed. You don't need to read all articles doing the round. Death news can make you feel depressive. Avoid them.

I am focusing on silence and valuing my family and relationships more than before. My mom and wife are my world. Everyone must spend time with family. Karan Johar had said rightly Life is all about loving your family. I urge my fans to stay at home and not to panic. I am also spending lot of time in silence. It is very essential for mental well being.

I urge everyone to stay indoors. One must focus on the positives. To stay motivated is a need of the hour. I am playing with my son. Mental health is a priority. One must eat well. Self-care and taking precautions is necessary. Do what you like and keep mental spirits high.

The actress shared a video on social media and spoke about the importance of taking care of mental health. The actress also talked about what isolation could do to mental health. She urged people to shift focus and indulge in self-love and care.

I am focusing on peace. I am staying indoors. One must pray to keep oneself positive. One must also talk to near and dear ones daily. One should eat well, sleep timely and not over react to Whatsapp messages and videos. Panicking won’t change the reality, Precautions will make all the difference.

To every single person living alone - in a new city or away from loved ones, doing things alone and watching the world alone, fighting anxiety and depression or any mental health concerns... Just wanted to send out a big hug and tell you I am thinking of you. As everyone is practicing social distancing and staying indoors, I know it must be hard but I would request you to stay connected with your family and friends. Don't disappear. Make that call. Answer that video chat. Water that plant and drink the coffee. We're in it together. And to those who've got people to talk to and hang at home with. Don't take it for granted. Enjoy every bit of the overdose and cherish having someone to share this time with. May you think less about structure and more about living each moment. Big hug world. We are in it together, we can nail it.

A person’s mental health is of utmost importance, whether one’s indoors or outdoors. It’s our ultimately our mind that cheers us up to stay positive. Although we can all stay in touch through social media platforms, this time of solitude can help us understand ourselves better, and to develop and improve our relationship with ourselves. But being locked down during social isolation can be quite depressing because we’re after all social animals. And as the need of the hour is to stay home, we need to understand and stay indoors like responsible citizens. Also, this is a great time for self-reflection. As the virus calls for an overall healthier lifestyle, it’s the best time to reflect on our old habits or patterns and change them for the greater good.

This is the time when all of us, including the extroverts, are being compelled to be introverts. And I understand how hard it could be for outgoing or workaholic people to be staying indoors. So, it’s natural to be feeling low. But if we look at the brighter side, we can utilize this time to get to know ourselves better. We are used to spending so much time with people that somewhere we neglect ourselves, or are too consumed by the outside world. I think social isolation calls for a time to find the artist in us. And art for me can be found in so many activities like painting, singing, playing a musical instrument and even cooking! And I feel like, by the time we come out of the isolation, we’d ‘maybe’ want to go back to isolation because we may get too comfortable with ourselves.

“Not being able to go out for days is a very big thing because people are not used to this kind of life. Hence staying occupied at home is very necessary. Most people who are fighting depression and anxiety come from neglected families, abusive parents, partners or have a disturbed background. Due to Covid-19 attack, students and professionals had to go back home and confined to the same place from where they are seeking an escape. They are locked inside the house. In such cases, they want someone to talk to and we try our best to talk to them over calls. But many times at presence of some other member in a family, it becomes difficult for them.”