Experience with Covid: Mental Health Professional Can Also Go Through Mentally Draining Phase

BY PALLAVI SAHU

Everybody has their own unique experience with Covid. Some come out of it with ease, for some- covid takes a toll on their mental health, while fight with covid becomes physically, financially as well as mentally draining for others. The month of May was enveloped with extreme emotions-fear, feeling of helplessness, moments of despair, and constant struggle to maintain calm as we got infected.

Being a mental health professional, I face and I too try to fight the mental demons which keep popping up due to unprecedented times of covid, getting infected, lockdown, excess of being at home, to name a few. It is a period of struggle to stay positive. As everyone reacts differently to covid-so do I!I went through phases of

• Shock 
• Fear 
• Blank mind
• Confusion
• Endless phone calls-reassurance
• Total surrender after consultation(nothing is in my hand – I can’t change the reality)
• Acceptance
• Faith- on the Doctor
• The realization that we need to do what we have to(that is- take care of ourselves)
• Hope 

Nevertheless, I didn’t know that even if covid leaves our body, it doesn’t forget to make it a point to haunt us for a bit longer-it will make sure that you don’t forget it-for that covid leaves us with post covid symptoms. Even after saying adieu to covid, it still haunts in the form of constant fatigue, gasping for breath after a few minutes’ walk to a grocery store. It is not only physically but mentally draining-when you know you have defeated your enemy, yet you have not conquered it.

It completely disrupted the rhythm of life. Life loves to test our grit and sometimes we are caught unaware in the clutches of storm. Even though, it drained me mentally, I managed to learned something-

• That such moments of despair due to illness is a wakeup call to reorganize one’s way of life and life choices around it
• That nothing is permanent 
• That live every day as if it’s your last day in this world
• That fear, grief, illness, death, and dying are as much an integral part of our life as happiness, joy, feeling of contentment with a healthy body and mind

Whatever might be the circumstances, we need to fight back and move on. It is assumed for a mental health professional that we might not face any mental health problems or we might be able to handle them perfectly, but there is no truth in that. We are as human as others- we do have our share of depressive episodes, anxiousness, fear, anger to name a few. The mental block has enveloped my mind since covid struck. Nevertheless, I realize and accept that 

Sometimes it’s okay to shut down 

Sometimes it’s okay, to not feel okay

Sometimes it’s okay not to talk

Nevertheless, slowly and steadily strive 

Strive to reach the phase 

The phase of opening the door 

To let fresh air enter

To breathe in deeply the beauty of life

Thank you for your time and patience. If you enjoyed reading my post, please like, follow, share and comment & thanks again for visiting my page. 
  
Stay Safe,  

Best Wishes,  
Pallavi Sahu  
Psychologist  
pausementalwellnessstudio.com 

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