It’s been about two months since the start of the quarantines in Singapore. By now, we can say that it is somehow affecting our mental and emotional well-being one way or another. This is what some would call quarantine fatigue. But then again, staying at home is necessary to fight the pandemic and help our frontliners the best that we can. So, here are some ways for you to cope with quarantine fatigue!

The cause of quarantine fatigue

Before everything else, let’s talk about why we get quarantine fatigue in the first place. For one, the easy answer is that we’ve had a sudden change of lifestyle. Towards the start of the spread of the pandemic, most people went to panic mode in an instant. Then, when safety measures started rolling in, our fear also receded. It’s these sudden changes in lifestyle that’s causing us to feel more mentally and emotionally drained. Another reason is that we simply miss human interactions which is another thing that suddenly changed because of the quarantines.  

Establish a routine

One of the best ways to cope with quarantine fatigue is to maintain a routine. Because of the anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, you may feel all over the place and that your life is spiraling down in chaos. By having a set routine, you can eliminate these thoughts because you are establishing control over your life. Schedule time for work, exercise, bonding with family, and the like. This is a healthy way to fight quarantine fatigue.

Set goals

Another thing you can do is to set goals for yourself. More often than not, you will have more time in your hands because of the quarantines. So, set goals for yourself whether it’s for work, self-improvement, for your family, etc. Overall, this will help you continue to have a positive mindset all throughout. You may even come out of the quarantine with new set of skills!

Try self-care practices

One important thing to have during this time is a way to practice self-care and relieve stress. For some it may be yoga, for others it can be meditation. It can even be something as simple as taking a warm bath or reading a book while drinking coffee in a quiet early morning. Find out what your go-to stress reliever is and practice it whenever you can or whenever you need to.

Acknowledge your negative feelings

Lastly, acknowledge your negative feelings. These are trying times and it’s really inevitable to feel negative from time to time. But, don’t bottle up those negative thoughts! Acknowledging them and naturally letting them flow will help you get over them faster. This doesn’t only provides relief, but also reduces the influence of negative feelings over you in general.

We have all had dreams of being famous or rich or successful, but when you maintain that belief even if the reality is different, it is different from just daydreaming. A serious condition called delusional disorder causes some people to have bizarre behavior and manners that it interferes with their daily function and relationships.

Types of Delusional Disorders

Delusion means belief in something that is not based on reality, although they are not almost always unreal. This means that their beliefs involve real life things and situations but are exaggerated or mistakenly perceived. Doctors classify delusional disorder as a type of psychotic disorder. A person with this condition can still function and socialize normally.

There are different types of delusional disorders based on the theme of their delusion such as grandiose, persecutory, somatic, erotomanic, jealous, or a combination of those types. Grandiose means that a person has a over-inflated sense of his/her identity. Persecutory is the belief that they are being spied on, mistreated, or in danger.

Somatic means that they believe they have a medical problem or defect. Erotomanic delusion is the belief that someone is in love with them. Jealous on the other hand is the belief that their partner is being unfaithful to them. There are some delusions which do not fall under any of those categories and are labeled as unspecified.

Symptoms and Causes

Most delusions, regardless of the type, involve non-bizarre delusions. This means that although the person might have weird beliefs, it is still based or grounded on reality. It is weird, but not definitely out there. The person will also exhibit an irritable or angry mood and sometimes hallucinations that are related to their delusion.

They are different from people with, say other psychotic disorders, because they can still function. The only problem is that their delusion disrupts their normal lives. If you know a loved one who has been showing those symptoms for at least a month, you need to seek help.

Delusional disorder is quite rare. Delusion in most cases, might be a symptom of another disorder, and not a disorder itself, but it can happen. For it to be classified as such, it must not also be caused by substances or medication. So, what causes it? There are many factors researchers are investigating, but the strongest evidence points to history of trauma, extreme stress, and genetics.

Treatment of Delusional Disorder

Because the person does not see the problems with their delusions, they will not be able to seek help by themselves. If there are other coexisting conditions, those should also be identified. Only then can treatment be created. It usually involves a combination of psychotherapy and medication. There is not standard treatment for everyone because it will be based on the needs of the individual. Hospitalization is not required in most cases unless the person is causing harm to him/herself or others.