When we are sick with a cold, flu or Covid, we can feel not only physically unwell but also irritable, anxious and sad. When unwell, people often describe feeling quite miserable and it can hit you all of a sudden. The reason why we feel this way is because when we are sick our immune system registers that it’s under attack by a pathogen or toxin and needs to fight (that’s how we get better). Unfortunately, the cells of our immune system also include our brain which is responsible for our emotions, actions and feeling fatigued. Our body and brain struggle to cope when we are sick, so we need lots of rest and to be kind to ourselves while our body does its job of making us better. Here are some tips for coping with being sick from a mental health perspective.
Accept that you’re not well. Rather than trying to push on, we need to stop and rest. This is the quickest way for our immune system to recover. Denying that we’re sick can also invalidate our suffering and make us feel worse – sometimes we need a good cry to let out our emotions.
Allow others to care for you and show their kindness. If someone offers to cook for you, get groceries, take you to an appointment, or just simply keep you company, let them. Being alone when sick can make you feel isolated and miserable. But remember to respect a person’s need for quiet and rest.
Allow yourself to rest. Our body uses a lot of energy to fight off an infection. Our immune cells are working hard and our temperature is often increased. The best way we can help our system is to keep it calm. Avoid using your muscles and brain when sick, which is why we have personal leave from work. Our brains need to rest, and they can’t do that if we are working.
Lay off the exercise It can be challenging for those who use exercise to help them cope with their mental health or those with exercise addictions to allow their body to rest. Remember, that you are only temporarily sick and the more rest you get, the quicker you will recover. Your body is working hard on the inside to fight off the infection. Sometimes it’s ok to get some fresh air and sun on a short walk.
Think of all the benefits of being sick. Yes, the benefits. Perhaps you can get up late, sleep in the afternoon, catch up on your favourite TV shows or read a book. You also might get more care from others, order in and leave those chores for another time.
Get well soon.
