ABU DHABI- The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, SEHA, is encouraging the community to embrace a healthy lifestyle amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by following a balanced diet, drinking sufficient water, exercising, and sleeping adequately to maintain overall health, including mental wellbeing.

Dr. Anne Elzein Omara, Consultant Psychiatrist, Al Ain Hospital, said, "It is imperative that we understand the virus and are aware of its movement and symptoms. Knowing what we are facing helps keep us calm and encourages us to think rationally instead of being easily swayed by rumors and fake news. We have to continuously remind ourselves that this situation is temporary, and we will come out of it." Dr. Omara’s advice is part of SEHA’s psychological social support programme developed especially for the community during the pandemic, which emphasises the need to pay attention to the source of information or news, and to rely only on authentic sources of information like the World Health Organisation and local health authorities.

"The fear we are all feeling is a normal reaction to these unprecedented and abnormal circumstances. Fear is a basic emotion and a natural instinct in human beings, which stimulates us to take the necessary measures to protect ourselves. The COVID-19 pandemic has spread fear of the unknown among us as a result of the newness of the situation and the lack of credible information on the nature of the virus, its origin, its composition and the lack of treatment or vaccine for it," continued Dr. Omara.

"We must learn how to control this fear before it transforms into a pathological condition, which can lead to a person losing his ability to continue his or her normal daily tasks. It can also lead to increased heartbeat, sweating or shivering and a state of distress." Dr. Omara recommends common methods that help people overcome adverse situations – meditation, living in the present moment, enjoying the time at hand, and not thinking about the future or the past. A simple way of doing this is sitting in your favorite chair with gentle lighting and enjoying the activity, be it drinking a cup of coffee or juice, so that the focus is only on the temperature of the coffee or the taste of the juice. This is a valuable tool that helps focus attention and halts worrisome thoughts about the past or the future.

She added, "Senior citizens are the most vulnerable to the disease as a result of their lower immunity, the conditions they may already be facing and increased medication, so the family must pay extra attention to reassuring them and ensuring they abide by safety guidelines and precautionary measures."

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.