Over spring break, I had the displeasure of being sick during my one week of salvation. I planned to catch up with friends, work on my research, and rest. At least, I had the resting part down, but the only thing I was really catching was a cold. Go figure.
My mental health definitely took a nosedive when I had the cold and then an ear infection. Most days consisted of excessive sleep, chugging water, and holding my tissue box for dear life during coughing fits. Not to mention the throbbing pain I felt in my left ear just as I was recovering.
When you’re sick, the world just won’t stop for you. Everyone marches on and progresses, while you’re stagnant, lying in bed, and wishing you could will the pain away. For me, there was that looming feeling of being behind on emails, articles, assignments, research, and even answering texts from friends. Maybe being sick was a culmination of the stress I’ve been shouldering. Or maybe I just had the misfortune of catching a cold from someone who had it.
I hated not being productive, and for some reason, I had this unshakable guilt for … being sick? Yes, I felt guilty for experiencing something very human and normal. But, deep down, that guilt was a result of feeling useless.
I know that was a childish way of thinking when I needed to be focusing on rest and recovery, but I couldn’t help lamenting that I had all this work I could be doing, yet just couldn’t do it.
Even in the throes of sickness, I found some ways to nurture my mental health and keep myself from going insane.
First of all, even though I couldn’t really see anyone, I reached out to my friends and loved ones over the phone. Expressing how I felt and having them reassure me that it will get better really lifted my spirits.
Isolation is something I’ve struggled with, and during those bedbound moments, I tried my best to get that much-needed social interaction virtually.
I often lost track of time, so I started developing a low-effort routine to keep me grounded.
It usually consisted of one to two medium-sized tasks, with a long nap sandwiched in between. I’d usually do some light reading in the morning, rest, and do something fun and lighthearted, like play “Super Mario Galaxy” on my Switch. Nothing too strenuous, but just something to keep my mind preoccupied and to prevent me from panic-searching for my symptoms.
What also helped was indulging in comfort foods like beef stew and chicken noodle soup. In a perfect world, eating a spoonful of soup would automatically cure me of my ailments. Something about homemade meals just comforts me and makes me feel like a kid again.
At the end of the day, I had to remind myself that I’d been through way worse and survived.
Almost two years ago, and conveniently right before the start of a fall semester, I had sinusitis. This was by far the worst pain I’ve ever felt.
Not only did my face and body feel like they were on fire, but the migraines were insanely debilitating. I could barely stand or keep anything down, and I had to keep my head propped up when I slept because if I didn’t, I would get the worst fever-induced nightmares.
Looking back, I can’t believe I got through such horrible pain despite how depressed I felt that I couldn’t go out and see anyone. Long story short, I survived.
It’s important to look after not just your physical health but also your mental health. I truly realized how intertwined the two were during my bout of sickness, and honestly, now that I’m past recovery, it has motivated me to take care of myself and eat healthier.
Stay healthy! If you have any suggestions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me via email, [email protected], or through my Google Form.
