Overcoming Homesickness during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Coronavirus has put the entire world in a fix! The unknown nature of this new virus has left doctors and scientists scratching their heads. With no sure cure or potent prevention at hand, the government had to pick social distancing and home quarantine as the best tools to fight this pandemic.

This has already created a hostile situation with waves of panic and anxiety spreading all across. Everyone is trying hard to cope with this crisis. Families are coming together to hold the spirit high. 

But the difficulty is beyond imaginable for those stuck all alone away from family and friends in some distant land. The lockdown is more nerve-wracking for them because of the loneliness they have to survive.

People who moved out for their jobs, the students, the soldiers and the sailors, all are stuck at different parts of the globe. There is no way back home for them. As such feeling homesick is one common feeling that they have to fight through!

Some of my very close friends are stranded in foreign lands, where the situation is way worse than India! One of my cousins is stuck in the U.S. away from family. So, along with the fear and anxiety of coronavirus, it is the homesickness that they are constantly battling!

I have been calling them regularly to keep a tab on their health. And suggesting simple ways to handle their homesickness amidst the crisis of coronavirus.

Since many of you might be in this situation or you might know someone who is stuck miles away, I thought of sharing these ideas in a blog. Please call them, talk to them and give them the strength to sail through. 

Also Read: Cure Corona with curcumin

But first… what is homesickness?

Homesickness is that heaviness in the chest and wetness in the eyes when you sit with your bowl of cereal remembering the good food your mother used to serve. It is when you crave to share your life with people who are oceans away. 

Homesickness is a physical or emotional turmoil caused by a longing for that space of comfort shared with loved ones. More than the house or the material possessions, it is the absence of the important people that stirs this feeling.

Also Read – Unlock 1.0 – Things You Must Know

Homesickness and mental health

Homesickness is not merely missing the presence of a loved one. It is a kind of mental suffering that triggers loneliness and depression. 

People often disses the issues of homesickness saying grown-ups don’t get homesick! And this can’t be more wrong. 

Getting homesick is a normal feeling. Particularly, at such times when the entire world is under stress. The anxiety of missing family is multiplied manifolds by the fear of death due to coronavirus.

But the persistent thoughts of homesickness can cause feelings of depression and anxiety. It is also associated with insomnia, loss of appetite, fatigue and poor mood. This feeling is actually a cry of huge crisis that hardly gets heard! 

That’s why it is very important to handle homesickness the right way.

Handling homesickness at the time of coronavirus

Here are a few tips that might help in handling homesickness at such desperate times when all your social support systems are unplugged:

1. Stay in touch

Thank God we are living in the times where technology has evolved so much. You can call, skype and connect with your friends and family who are miles away! It will relieve the heaviness in your chest seeing them healthy and hale. 

Try to spend more time with people who wear a positive attitude. And cut down your call time with those who cringe over the phone, no matter how close they are!

2. Engage your mind to ease your worries

The more engaged you are the sooner your days will pass. So, apart from the office work (WFH), you need to find better ways of engagement. This is much like those survival challenges in game shows. 

You have to use the optimum level of your brain to find out ways to engage. Try your hands-on cooking, cleaning or creating art. Do a little workout. Catch up on the TED talks. Read great books. Watch a comedy series. Listen to some good motivational speakers. Tune in some music. 

There are a lot of things you can still do. Remember it’s only your body in lockdown, your mind is free to roam!

3. Wave your worries with writing therapy

In one of my previous blogs, I have shared the benefits of writing therapy for mental health. And I would quote it again! 

Try getting a pen and paper and pour all your thoughts down there. Be it your anxiety, fear, grief or anger. Take it all out!

And you know what’s the best part of this practice? The paper never judge you!

4. Eat healthy

The last thing you would want now is falling sick! 

Your family is away. Your friends from the neighbourhood won’t come to the company. Hospitals are a scary scene. And they might just put you in one of the isolation wards!

So, make sure you take proper care of your health. Cook your own meal and have it like medicine. Drink ample water. Do home workouts. Avoid binge eating, particularly salty chips and sweet desserts. 

If you have a pre-existing condition then be sure to take extra caution. Consult your doctor over the phone and keep a constant eye on your health meter!

5. Focus on your vision board

You don’t have one? Then its time to create one. 

A vision board consists of all the things that you dream of. The big house, the promotion, the salary, the vacations. It is an elaborate picture of your future life.

This will help you remind why you moved out in the first place. Looking at the bigger picture will help you move through these little struggles of life!

Conclusion

Homesickness at the time of coronavirus is a real deal. Make sure you acknowledge and address it. Ask for help from an expert if needed. And feel free to dial me up anytime, if you need the help of an Ayurvedic doctor to offer natural solutions!