By Nadia Al-Samarrie

COVID 19 has become a national mental health issue. Isolation and fear leave us at the mercy of our negative closed-loop thoughts. Worst of all, staying fearful affects our psychological and physical well-being. Have you had days where you did not want to get out of bed? Why bother? I have. Some mornings, I will make myself a hot caffeinated drink and trade in my desk for my bed.

The National Science Foundation reports that people experience 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts a day. 80% are unpleasant, and 95% of these negative thoughts are repetitious. It turns out we are hard-wired to think negative thoughts over positive ones.   

Thoughts are a funny thing. We can feel on top of the world or one inch away from scraping the pavement. It all boils down to understanding how our brain works.   

How do we stay positive in a time of uncertainty? 

• Know that it is natural for you to have predominately negative thoughts. Like the oxygen, we breathe. It just happens effortlessly. Being conscious of this biological pattern allows you to interrupt it. I remind myself; I am not my thoughts. I have also learned just because I think something; it does not necessarily mean it’s true.

• Be cognizant that your blood sauger and diabetes can exasperate the feeling of being panicked and depressed.

• If your negative thoughts are chronic with no end, reach out to your healthcare professional. They have always been a wealth of information. COVID 19 has taught us how selfless these well-educated heroes are. For the first time, we are witnessing the depth of their commitment to our well-being.

If you need to speak to someone,  MentalHealth.Gov recommends that you start a conversation with your primary doctor so they may refer you to a healthcare professional that can help you navigate your emotional maze.

I receive regular emails from my HMO, updating me on the telemedicine options for any health concerns I may have. For now, I am learning more about my brain and focusing on the things I can control.