As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to grow and countries across the world head into lockdown, the threat this pandemic poses to our mental health grows even bigger.

Besides the fact that this is an anxiety inducing time for everyone, we’re now being asked to stay home to curb the spread of the virus, meaning we’re only allowed to leave our house for four reasons: to shop for necessities, to exercise once a day, to meet medical needs or provide care, or to travel to and from work (if we can’t work from home). These unprecedented restrictions are necessary if we’re going to beat the virus – but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about the impact these restrictions are likely to have on our mental wellbeing.

Indeed, staying inside for long periods of time and being isolated from your social support structures in a time of such uncertainty is inevitably going to leave many of us feeling worried and low.

How to take care of your mental health during the coronavirus lockdown