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Now that we¡¯re several months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are feeling the emotional toll of the uncertainty, worry and dramatic changes to our habits and our lives.

¡°While it¡¯s normal to have frequent thoughts of COVID-19, be mindful if these thoughts become more frequent, or start to impact your daily life,¡± says Catherine Powers-James, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in our Integrative Medicine Center.

Here, she shares how to recognize and cope with COVID-related mood changes -- and when to seek professional help for a more serious mental health condition.

Recognizing symptoms of COVID-19 blues

Everyone¡¯s symptoms will be different, Powers-James says, but there are a few common ones to watch for.

If you¡¯re generally not feeling like yourself, that may be one of the first signs you¡¯re experiencing the blues. ¡°You may find you don¡¯t enjoy things as much as you used to,¡± Powers-James says.

Other common symptoms include:

• feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• feelings of restlessness
• guilt
• anger or irritability more than normal
• withdrawing from things you used to enjoy
• avoiding talking to friends and family
• changes in sleep (sleeping too much or not enough)
• thoughts about harming yourself
• changes in appetite or weight (more or less)

¡°Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we¡¯re limited on a lot of the things we used to be able to do to bring us joy,¡± Powers-James says. ¡°So any self-imposed restrictions could be a sign of something more serious.¡±

Pay attention to how long symptoms last

Symptoms of the blues can often be the same as those of depression or anxiety, Powers-James says. The difference is how long these feelings last.

¡°The blues can come and go in waves, but a major depressive episode lasts at least two weeks,¡± Powers-James says. ¡°If you¡¯re constantly distracted from your normal roles, like work or family life, that can be a sign of something more serious.¡±

And don¡¯t write off depressive symptoms just because you or a loved one have occasional moments of happiness or joy. ¡°Being in a depressive episode doesn't mean you can't experience moments of happiness,¡± Powers-James says. ¡°But if you¡¯re feeling sad, angry or anxious most of the time, you may need to seek professional help.¡± 

Powers-James adds that people who¡¯ve experienced clinical depression in the past are more likely to experience it in the future. So, it¡¯s important to be aware of symptoms and seek help from a mental health professional if you notice you or a loved one is in a depressive episode.

Do the opposite of what your body tells you

Although it may be hard, sometimes the best thing to get yourself out of a depressive episode is to do the opposite of what your body is telling you to do. ¡°When you¡¯re depressed, your body is telling you to do everything you can to stay in a depression,¡± says Powers-James.

For example, your depression may tell you to avoid something you once enjoyed, like getting out of bed to go for a walk. ¡°Once you¡¯re actually doing it, you¡¯ll probably find it wasn¡¯t as bad as you thought it would be,¡± Powers-James says. 

Seek help to manage mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic

Cognitive behavioral therapy or talking to a counselor or psychiatrist can help, but what works for one person may not work for another. ¡°If you¡¯ve experienced depression in the past, you may look back to things that worked for you then,¡± Powers-James says

The important thing is to seek help if you think you need it, and remember that others may be feeling the same way. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through this alone,¡± Powers-James says.

She suggests thinking about the things that made you feel better before the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting outdoors, talking with a loved one and exercise are options for most of us right now, without having to worry about social distancing.

Virtual support is available to help you cope during the COVID-19 pandemic

Many of the traditional interventions available for mood disorders have gone virtual, Powers-James says. Look into telemedicine visits with your mental health care provider.

Yoga, meditation and massage have also been shown to improve mood. ¡°At MD Anderson, our mind and body intervention specialists are offering virtual yoga sessions, and on-site massage with precautions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19,¡± Powers-James says.

While we don¡¯t know how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last, Powers-James says you can overcome feelings of depression or anxiety. It¡¯s even possible to achieve remission from these mental health conditions. As Powers-James says, ¡°Be patient, and trust that things will get better.¡±

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