“I grasped the need of growing through what I was going through,” Shantanu Maheshwari said about mental strength in Covid

Shantanu Maheshwari’s recent bout with Covid19 was a difficult one for him, but the strategies he utilised to strengthen himself and overcome the challenge proved to be invaluable lessons for him.

Shantanu accepted the challenge of not only remaining mentally strong during this difficult period, but also focussing on the positives and highs in order to get through the lows despite the slow recovery, “It was initially very hard for me as I was in this constant comparison mode between the speed of recovery between other people and myself as they had absolutely no problems in dealing with their phase of covid, whereas I was struggling to stand properly or even reply to messages which was quite frustrating! Finally there was a moment of realization that acceptance is the key here. Mentally accepting the situation and dealing with it calmly was very effective for me to make the recovery process a smoother one. It also made me realize that we all have different body structures so the reactions each of us face would obviously be different from one another. From there on I focussed my attention on only the positives and constantly reminded myself of how lucky I was to have my family by my side and nor was I in any unfortunate state to struggle for a bed or a hospital. I started observing my body in a much more observant manner and noted the key areas I would have to work on post my quarantine. Once I became more familiar” with these methods things started getting a lot better for me, as I understood the importance of growing through what I was going through, and to mainly focus on how to deal with my own situation rather than thinking about everyone else’s progress”, Shantanu said.

Shantanu also says that viewing his favourite movies and getting in touch with close friends and family members who have been extremely supportive of him have been stress-free hobbies for him. “I would watch a lot of movies and webshows to keep my head in a decent place.” Depending on my mood at the moment, I’d watch everything from a comedy to an action film to a romantic comedy or simply something light to keep my energy up. Many of my close friends and family members were continually keeping an eye on me and encouraging me to keep my spirits up, which really improved my attitude. I’m not a doctor, but all I want to say is that it’s critical to develop your own methods for prioritising your health when dealing with this type of condition,” he concluded.