I ain’t able na !

 

Over the past 11 months, we have been dealing with a lot of change. Changed to the point that not everything we know has changed. ‘The chirren home all d time’; ‘we cyah go for a Lil lime’; ‘I working from home’; ‘we hadda wear this sickening mask’; ‘d church service is only one hour’. Hell, we cyah even shake hands no more. Not to mention the long list of persons that sadly lost their jobs. Many of us hated change so much, we avoided changing jobs, or vehicles just because we couldn’t stand facing the ‘unknown’. Some of us made macaroni pie, calloo and stew chicken every Sunday for the past 10 years because we hold on to tradition. Our rationale ‘’Daz wa I know’’.

That being said, how d hell are we coping with all this? I think that’s what worries me the most. Some of the things we did, even the ‘toxic ones’, keep us together, which probably kept us sane. At least, that is in lay terms. Truthfully, it has been a concern of mine since the start of this pandemic. How would this impact our mental health? Now, almost a year in, the question is, how has it been impacting our mental health? Now, some of you reading may ask; mental health? Na, I not crazy! Others may know that when I talk about mental health, I’m just talking about resiliency. You see, mental health exists on a spectrum. There is good mental health on one side of the spectrum, while on the other, there is poor mental health.

 Good mental health is maintained by all the things we see people always posting about and hashtagging all the time. Yuh know, the things you may not seem to have the energy or time to do. Things like physical exercise, talking about emotions, long drives, self-care, etc. While poor mental health is derived from, well, doing the opposite. Poor mental health, with all the stresses of life, can affect your level of resiliency. Not doing things to keep you ‘sane’ can result in the development of poor mental health. Now, don’t get worried its just yet! Nobody is saying you are mentally ill. Poor mental health increases your risk of developing a mental type disorder.

One of the critical things that worried me was the first lockdown that we had in Trinidad. It was harsh. We couldn’t go anywhere, not even for a walk. That terrified me for sure. Did it terrify you?

 Some would classify that as isolation. I certainly do. Now, the effects of isolation on the human mind are just too long of a list to mention here. But, you can look it up if you like. I think that our mental health care was limited during this time. Even for me, yes, I did my workouts at home with the little resistance bands. I walked my dog in the yard, but it wasn’t the same. It just wasn’t. On top of that, I was working from home. So, yuh know. A DISASTER! I never got to leave !! But enough about me. I’m sure it was hard for many of you too. Was it? Is it? (Share in the comments)

Now, I know this one was a bit longer than my usual articles. But bear with me because this is important. We need to talk about this as a society. Suppose you are experiencing higher than usual anxiety levels. In that case, your sleeping patterns are off, your energy levels are low, and you have stomach issues. You are avoiding public spaces or having Panic attacks. There is a possibility that your body may be trying to tell you something. Please reach out to someone that you trust. If possible, reach out to your EAP programmes or another professional.  Maybe, anxiety isn’t your challenge, but something else is. Another common one may be depression. If you are experiencing extreme sadness, energy loss, feelings of isolation, isolation for long periods. Reach out to someone you trust, even a professional.

Maybe you are just feeling other things that affect your ability to do what you are accustomed to doing daily. That can also be a sign that you may have a low quality of mental health. Your ability to do day to day tasks is important. The moment that is challenged, see it as a urgent need for mental health care. I know we have a stigma about seeking professional help, but this is serious. Mental health care is all it is. It doesn’t mean something is wrong with you, but it is essential to include this in your mental health wellness plan, along with the other things we mentioned above. The physical exercise, and self-care routines.

REMEMBER! Poor mental health does not necessarily mean you may have any type of mental challenge, but it can increase your risk of developing one. Only a Psychiatrist can clinically Diagnose in our territory. 

Rajiv Gangaram
Social Work, Social Researcher
BA SW, MSW (Cand), Cert Psychological First Aid

Counselling Resources:

1. UWI Students: https://sta.uwi.edu/caps/

2. EAP Agencies (2 Options)

-          Elders and Associates: 24-HOUR HOTLINE

Telephone Hotline Service:  (868) 622-6594

Email: info@eldertt.com

All of our locations: San Fernando (53 Sutton Street), Tobago (13 Robinson Street), Tacarigua (43 Cane Farm Road) and Port of Spain (30-32 Picton Street) – Can be contacted at: (868) 226-4325

-          Dolly and Associates:

    Port Of Spain Office

    9 De Verteuil Street,

    Woodbrook, Port Of Spain

    868.627.1845 / 868.625.7107

    San Fernando Office

    149 Riverside Drive,

    San Fernando,

    Trinidad, W.I

    +868.627.1845 / +868.625.7107

    Hours: 8a-6:00p M-F, Closed S-S

    Tobago Office

    Calder Hall Medical Clinic,

    Calder Hall,

    Tobago, W.I

    +868.627.1845 / +868.625.7107

    Hours: 8a-6:00p M-F, Closed S-S

3. Public - Government Resources are available for the public, you can reach out to me via email if you cant find information. I will do my best.