Finding Comfort In A Pandemic

The Crucial Life Lessons Of Mental Health

Some of the best lessons regarding my own mental health have developed as a result of this current coronavirus pandemic that is engulfing the world. When the entire story was beginning to develop, and all the warnings were starting to begin, I felt a feeling of panic, and worry inside.

It was frightening to think about, and wonder how someone like myself with such a complex mental health history would be able to survive through some of the most complex life changes, that were about to happen. Little did I know, that I was rather mistaken in these assumptions.

When the pandemic started to build and hit the United States, I braced myself strongly, in preparation for what I figured would be some of the most intense, and largest life changes ever to hit myself.

As time went on, I started to come to terms with the facts that things weren’t happening in the type of complex manner that I thought they would. I started to realize that I was somehow quite prepared after all for something as major as Covid19.

A philosophy of mine began to unfold. I started to come to the realization that those of us with a history of things like mental illnesses like addiction, depression, and anxiety had become much better equipped to handle life changes to the magnitude that have currently happening.

As events got deep with the pandemic, I started to see the light that shined on the fact that I have already been prepared for situations like this where I am forced to feel what it’s like to be stuck in my own skin, with me, myself, and I.

Those of us who aren’t mentally ill, or dealing with addictions, seemed to be ill equipped for scenarios like the one that is currently drowning and engulfing the world. Here’s how my equation has come to be.

For those people who haven’t been dealing with the lessons of mental illness have been going through their lives living in total distraction.

Being busy for 50, 60, 70 hours a week, making sure every single waking minute in life is in a hustle and bustle mode, where there is no spare time. Late to bed, early to rise, with no rest in between. Masking and covering any type of thoughts of self. Not taking to time to know the inner soul. Not knowing the god, nor the bad in oneself.

Unfortunately, what that caused is a complete disaster when it came to dealing with this new life being forced to live in quarantine. Forced to live in comfort, in one’s own skin. However it instantly became anything but comfortable. It was actually total uncomfortability in one’s own skin.

It wasn’t nearly as much a struggle for me. As I journeyed in my life, over the past couple years through my mental health treatment for depression, and anxiety, as well as inpatient, and outpatient rehabilitation for drug addiction, I hadn’t realized then, what I am starting to become aware of now.

I have had somewhat of an awakening, as I have come to realize that all the lessons I have been learning as I got well, have greatly prepared me, to enter into this world of quarantine. In getting well, I have been taught strong lessons of things like mindfulness, and I have been trained on lessons of loving myself, and being comfortable in my own skin.

Just like I had been released a while ago, from being a prisoner in my own mind, I also was able to learn how to avoid being a prisoner to COVID 19 as well. Lessons I learned in crucial topics, like mindfulness, and self acceptance have been the saviors and the blessings from God, when it comes to surviving in this time we are living in.

I have already succeeded in completing the process of accepting myself, both my positive qualities, as well as my defects. Steering away from self loathing, forgiving myself, seeking spirituality and believing in faith.

My days are usually not perfect, and like anything else, I must take the good with the bad. If there is one statement I can say about all of this, I will say, day after day that even my worst days are manageable.

If I can make that statement be my truth each day, I know I can succeed in this pandemic, and remain happy with who I am. I’ll live mindfully and confident, and won’t let panic take over.

Michael Patanella

is a Trenton, New Jersey Author, Publisher, Columnist, Editor, Advocate, and recovering addict, covering topics of mental health, addiction, sobriety, mindfulness, self-help, faith, spirituality, Smart Recovery, social advocacy, and countless other nonfiction topics. His articles, publications, memoirs, and stories are geared towards being a voice for the voiceless. Hoping to reach others out there still struggling.