Here is how you can relieve that lockdown stress

 Bits of ME

Its often the bubbling and whispers behind the closed door that crawls into my nap and often time until I fully awaken, these mellow whispers of ‘… Mummy is sleeping…don’t wake her up…wake her up…she will hear us or don’t knock …knock…’ are what my dreams entangle with.

In the midst of a blurry sight and slight nudge of my body, I give in to the little ones happy ‘disturbance.'

Let children…be children; is most parents' playbook- I embrace it too.

Many a time,  I eavesdrop their little chats and I stumble on some glaring dose against  stress.

Their splitting voices cut through the walls from the kitchen to the compound –  our children’s world is a playground fun.

The pandemic has put some locks on it, never mind.  Financial strains, stress, anxiety and depression are poking at us.

The ailment for that has been the kids' dosage- Invest in it,  you will owe me.

That therapy has saves expenditure on counselling.

I find myself stealing a moment to jump rope with them in the compound.

Reliving my childhood memories while teaching them how to play ‘7 stones' or the old undisputed dodge game, ‘kwepena', is the icing on the cake.

Folks does anyone recall the escapades of ‘Hide and Seek?

Don’t feel so reserved not to indulge.

These are such cheap remedies to encounter stress at your disposal.

Liken them to other paths like listening to music or listening to your children sing or perform for you in the comfort of your sitting room. With just ‘mummy can we entertain you? ‘ all my predicaments are unloaded.

Bits of YOU

With the down sides of the pandemic; entertainment centers- bars and recreational places in permanent sleep – invite the entertainment and fun in your household and close the gates to the anxieties of the lockdown.

Renowned therapist Evas Atwine reveals that the cost for a 1- 2 hour counselling session ranges between Shs 80, 000 to Shs 150,000.  This covers consultation, diagnosis or problems analysis and therapy/ treatment.

Atwine is strangely unselfish to disclose a bouquet of home remedies for anxiety that may include: exercising,  looking at problems with a positive mindset and avoiding too much negative information.

The doom information we are fed in the news, social media,  telephone calls,  engulfs the human mind and races the heart like an antelope fighting to stay alive from the lion's teeth.

Free yourself with the favourite question that called for fun answers.

What are your hobbies?

The answers to that question are what Atwine prescribes as your antidote to a stressful season and revamping your mood.

Atwine says most victims of stress, anxiety or depression are unaware of its snake bite.

"They take symptoms such as irritability, constant headaches digestive problems, etc as  normal occurrence or imagine  medical attention is required," she says.

"Other serious symptoms such as panic attacks are confused with witchcraft."

Before you become an experiment in an emergency room and cash in on hospital bills,  lets try the simple preventive measures:

• Home made/buy popcorn and watch movies, series/music (Cinema experience)
• Create a bar experience at home with music and drink from home
• Exercising
• Playing sports games- involve your children and create teams, board games etc
• Riding bicycles, jumping rope, tennis, badminton etc
• Dancing
• Teaching your children nursery rhymes, story telling, traditional folk tales/dances etc
• Gardening, landscaping at home and planting your favourite trees, flowers etc

Nonetheless,  in case this Bits of ME and YOU is a little too late and you need professional counselling,  contact the International Centre for Mental Health and Family Care  in Ntinda.

If you need to schedule an  appointment with a Counselor/Therapist, please contact: The  ICFC Counselling Centre Plot 432, Kigowa-Ntinda Tel: 0772425449 or 0770944597.