The true mental health impact of a pandemic is difficult to predict as it is unlike any other form of stress or trauma. While we don’t yet know the magnitude of its psychological impact, it’s clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone.

“We are all doing the best we can under the circumstances, but it is also okay not to be okay right now,” says Luana Marques, PhD, director of Community Psychiatry PRIDE and MGH Research Scholar 2020-2025. “It’s important to remind our country that it’s okay to have strong emotions.”

The constant stories of grief, death and economic loss have a significant impact on our mental health, but can also cause a biological reaction known as the “fight or flight” response. It is this response that can sometimes cause our hearts to pound in moments of tension and feelings of fear, says Marques.

These feelings are natural and it’s understandable that you’re scared, but finding time to breathe, “cool off your brain” and take care of yourself is crucial to making it through uncertain times.

Here are three tips Dr. Marques recently shared to manage stress and anxiety during this time:

1. Remember to Unplug

Marques suggests giving your brain a break from the news every once in a while to allow your thoughts and emotions to settle, though she is quick to note that it can be hard under circumstances like these. Setting aside time to center yourself can help to tamp down that “fight or flight” distress response. “I encourage you to anchor on something that closes your brain off: walking, meditation or calling a friend,” says Marques.

2. Recharge Through Eating, Sleeping and Exercise

Giving yourself time to recharge and stay healthy is not optional, Marques explains. Even in normal conditions eating well, getting a good night’s sleep and exercising are important, but they all are critical in times of stress. “Those are three things that we know help our mental health and our immune system.” There is no one solution that works for everyone, so it is important to figure out what works best within your own routine and focus on things that excite you and get you going.

3. Be of Service If You Can

“We know that helping others not only makes them feel better but also helps ourselves,” Marques says. Providing service to others during a time of need helps to foster a sense of connection and purpose.

The skills and resources you have could help in a variety of ways, such as making masks if you know how to sew, donating food to those in need if you can afford it, or simply checking in on an elderly neighbor with a phone call.

For more information on how to manage stress and anxiety during the pandemic, watch Dr. Marques’ Harvard Medical School series, “Regulating Emotions & Building Resiliency in the Face of a Pandemic.”

COVID-19 Research at Mass General
Researchers and clinicians at Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute are mobilizing to develop new strategies to diagnose, treat and prevent COVID-19. Learn more.