FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 16, 2020 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
health
How to manage mental health challenges during social isolation
As millions of people around the country
practice social distancing and are staying
at home for weeks on end, many people
may fi nd themselves feeling lonely and
alone, maybe even anxious or uneasy, for
the fi rst time.
Others are all too familiar with the emotional
impact of feeling alone and separated
from friends and loved ones while
also managing their emotional health.
Among them are people who live with a
mental illness such as depression, bipolar
disorder and anxiety, who sometimes opt
to social distance because being around
other people makes them uncomfortable
or self-conscious.
One in fi ve adults live with some form
of mental illness in the U.S., and many of
them also deal with a relatively unknown
involuntary movement disorder called
tardive dyskinesia (TD). TD is associated
with prolonged use of antipsychotics prescribed
to treat mental illnesses such as
depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Th e physical symptoms of TD
can impact one’s emotional and social
well-being, causing them to feel embarrassed
or withdrawn from society. At
least 500,000 people in the U.S. are living
with TD.
Shelly, a married mother of one, was
diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spent
two years with her physician trying to fi nd
an antipsychotic medication that helped.
Aft er being prescribed a few diff erent
options, she fi nally found a treatment
that worked for her. Just as things started
to get better, however, she began noticing
uncontrollable movements in her legs,
mouth, and tongue.
Aft er noticing these movements, her
doctor advised that she might have TD.
She learned that while the symptoms can
look and feel diff erent from day to day,
they may remain persistent and oft en
irreversible. Shelly’s symptoms sometimes
embarrass her so much that she oft en
avoids communication with others. “Th e
days my TD symptoms are really bad, I
won’t answer the phone because my voice
is so slurred from my tongue movements,
it’s hard for people to understand me,”
Shelly notes.
One memory is especially painful. “I
was at a parent teacher conference,” Shelly
relates. “My hands were swinging all over
the place and I could feel the teachers
staring at me. My husband and I tried
to explain what was going on, but they
didn’t believe me. It was very hurtful.” She
explains that situations like those are diffi
cult to handle.
“I was working so hard to be a better
person and deal with my mental health
issues, and strangers who didn’t understand
were judging me for things beyond
my control.”
As Shelly refl ects on how her mental
health has been impacted by the global
pandemic, she says it “brings so many
overwhelming thoughts and emotions to
the forefront. I know what it feels like to
not want to go out and stay at home so,
for those people who are dealing with it
during this pandemic, I can relate.” To
cope with these challenging times, she
notes, “I try to keep up to date with current
events but also try to read uplift ing
and funny articles.”
It is especially important that people
are aware of the challenges of living with
mental illness, including TD, and that
they can reach out to their physicians
and have access to the appropriate therapies.
During this time of unprecedented
anxiety, treating TD is a critical strategy
for maintaining overall mental health
and wellness, so that those living with the
condition can live an active and productive
life.
Whether people are in self-imposed or
mandated social isolation, Shelly off ers
the following suggestions to weather the
storm:
Seek virtual support groups or connect
with family and friends. Comparing
stories and information with others facing
similar challenges can be enormously
helpful. “It’s so important for people with
TD to feel connected and have a community,
because we are oft en so isolated
and stigmatized,” says Shelly. It is important
to stay connected to family, friends
and those who make you feel supported,
listen and can help uplift your spirits. “I
know what it feels like to be alone, so I can
relate to those people out there struggling
through this tough time.”
Refl ect on your individual needs.
Acknowledge and legitimize your own
feelings. Know that your feelings are valid.
Connect with people who make you feel
better and avoid those who bring you
down. “I call my friends and family weekly
and my mother daily and I set a weekly
phone session with my therapist to help
me cope,” says Shelly.
Stick to healthy routines. Do everything
possible to take care of your own
physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Take time for yourself to exercise,
try meditating, and connect with loved
ones. “Taking short walks with my husband
every evening around my neighborhood
makes all the diff erence,” Shelly
notes.
Optimize resources. Take advantage
of the wealth of online mental health
resources. Th ere are a lot of advocacy
groups who have support services available
to help manage your mental wellbeing
and if you are living with the challenges
of mental illness, including TD, you can
learn more about the disorder and how to
get help at TalkAboutTD.com.
— BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
/TalkAboutTD.com
