Quarantine Situation
COVID-19 has affected many of the things we all had planned in our typically busy schedules. The numbers remain extremely high and in order to reduce this increase, we must quarantine in our homes. Quarantining at home has its pros and cons. For me, the first pro of this quarantine is having the ability to interact with your family and/or the people you live with. Interaction is important for this process as you can possibly become closer to your family and produce creative ideas together. For example, I’ve seen a lot of families create videos on TikTok. While TikTok is known to be primarily for the younger generations, this quarantine has seen an increase of families coming together to make funny videos. Another pro is having the ability to set aside greater attention for self-care. This is key for everyone as it makes you reflect on yourself and potentially rejuvenate.
The only con of quarantine I see is the chance of an increase in mental illness. While I believe self-care is important and think we should take time to self-care ourselves, this self-care can trigger depression or anxiety. Depression refers to having feelings of severe despondency and dejection, while anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease. Depression and anxiety can be triggered by worrying about COVID-19 or even thinking about situations that you were in. I am someone who has suffered from mild depression. While I have been in quarantine for five days straight, it has made me think about my past and, in the process, caused my depression to react. There will be times in this situation where you may be by yourself. Therefore, it is important to do things that would change your mood for the better.
Please take care of yourself and remember to spend time with your family or the people around you. Know that it is understandable to be feeling intensified stress during these times. For help coping with COVID-19 related stress, please visit the Bridgewater State University website for COVID-19 where resources are available for student health and wellbeing.
