Living Inside While the Coronavirus Is Outside

The outbreak of coronavirus has rocked our world and caused all of us to isolate in ways we never dreamed of doing before. For some of us who have a severe mental health illness diagnosis, this isolation is more than we might have ever experienced with our most extreme symptoms. While I have to fight my tendency to self-isolate as a result of my schizoaffective diagnosis, recent days have caused me to think about my routine and how it can, not only keep me safe from the virus, but enable me to have a productive life. While I value my routine, I have had to search for more ways to keep myself actively involved in life. Before the outbreak and social distancing, I thought my life was full of blank spaces. Sure… I called my parents, worked out at my fitness center, stayed up on current events, and of course, had my coffee, but even that routine has changed to fill in more of the blank spaces. Sleep is a vital part of my life and since my antipsychotic medications are very strong, I do not want sleep to occupy more of my life than is necessary. My normal routine upon waking is to take my morning medication first thing before I do anything else. After coffee, I begin hydrating by drinking water while I change into my workout clothes. I have always tried to stay physically fit, but I have also found that physical exercise is exercise for my mind. Yes, I care about my physical body, but I also want to strengthen my mind and stay mentally with it. During these days, however, o...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Antipsychotic Personal Schizophrenia coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic Psychosis quarantine Schizoaffective Disorder Source Type: blogs