The coronavirus pandemic poses an obvious threat to physical safety, but advocates stress that Americans shouldn’t sleep on their mental health.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, whose state has become an epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, said Wednesday that more than 6,000 mental-health professionals had volunteered to provide free mental-health services.
The Empire State had at least 60,000 confirmed cases as of Monday morning, up from 37,258 just four days ago, making up a disproportionate share of the United States’ 143,055 confirmed cases. New York City accounts for 776 of the 2,513 deaths from the disease in the U.S.
Some 35% of Americans say their mental health has worsened over the past week, an increase over 22% a week earlier.
“Don’t underestimate the emotional trauma that people are feeling,” Cuomo said. The COVID-19 pandemic is, after all, a life or death situation, he added. New Yorkers can call a hotline at 1-844-863-9314 to schedule an appointment, he said.
Some 35% of Americans say their mental health has worsened over the past week, an increase over 22% a week earlier, according to recent findings from the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Forty-three percent said their emotional well-being had gotten worse, compared to 29% a week earlier.
Americans’ top worries related to coronavirus include that they or a family member will get sick from COVID-19 (62%), a negative impact on investments such as retirement or college savings (51%), and lost income due to reduced hours or workplace closure (46%), according to a separate poll published last week by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Among workers, 53% say they’re worried they’ll lose income due to workplace closure or reduced hours, and 41% worry they’ll risk exposure to coronavirus because they can’t afford to miss work, the Kaiser poll found.
Social distancing is ‘actually physical distancing.’ ‘Socially, we can remain even closer.’
— Christine Moutier, the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline “has not experienced significant changes in call volume at this time,” spokesperson Frances Gonzalez told MarketWatch, though representatives from somecrisis and suicide-prevention hotlines have reported increased call volumes in recent days.
While the shared experience of navigating a pandemic can help individuals connect with one another, “it also is going to be different for different people, so that can create its own challenges,” said Christine Moutier, the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
A variety of stressors, including job loss, poor health, self-isolation and quarantine, and general anxiety and uncertainty, could negatively impact mental health. Some people may also be struggling with existing conditions such as substance-use disorders or depression.
But “people are resilient,” said Vaile Wright, a clinical psychologist and researcher at the American Psychological Association. “We can adapt,” she said. “We can get through this.”
Here are some strategies for coping:
Be kind to yourself
Normalize any intense uncomfortable emotions you’re having right now, said Joan Cook, a clinical psychologist and Yale School of Medicine associate professor who studies traumatic stress. Don’t judge yourself if you feel mild anxiety or depression, loneliness, boredom, frustration or anger. This is an unprecedented time for all of us, she said, and “there are a lot of unknowns.”
“While it’s important to ground ourselves by remembering to ‘count our blessings’ and be grateful for our lives and any privileges we have, it is equally important for us to acknowledge that social distancing, quarantine or isolation is hard,” Cook said. “And know that you are not alone in finding the consequences of social distancing, like losing our jobs or being physically distanced from family and friends, also very difficult.”
Give yourself credit if you are following the social-distancing directives of federal, state and local health officials, Cook added. “It’s important that we give ourselves the recognition when we do a good job,” she said. “You’re reducing the possibility of transmitting the virus, and protecting those who are most vulnerable.”
Address your physical health
You may be out of a job or working from home, but you still need to mind your basic human needs. Establish a routine, Wright said: Get enough sleep, get dressed in the morning, take a shower and eat a healthy diet. Exercise, she added, even if it’s just by going outside for fresh air. Build structure into an otherwise loose day by scheduling all of these needs, Moutier said.
“Mental health is not only critically important to pay attention to during COVID-19 for its own sake,” Moutier added, “but because the brain is connected to the body, how well we’re managing our mental health will directly affect our physical health — for example, things even like the strength of our immune system.”
Connect with friends, family and/or online communities
Stay in connected with friends and family through phone calls, text messages, FaceTime AAPL, +0.41% video calls and social media. “We all need to put in extra effort right now,” Wright said. If you are struggling with tough emotions, reach out to the most trustworthy person in your life to share how you’re feeling, Moutier said; that simple act could be a game changer.
Laughter and play are “critically necessary” during this time, Moutier added. Moments of humor might be harder to come by right now, but try to prioritize them.
If you lack an existing social-support system, “now is the time to go out and find connection with others, even if you don’t know who they are,” Wright said. Seek out online support groups or social-media communities related to your interests. After all, social distancing is actually physical distancing, Moutier said. “Socially, we can remain even closer.”
Consume news wisely
Stay informed about the pandemic, especially at your local level, but try to get off your devices too, Wright said. “Find the bit of the news that either empowers you or doesn’t drive up your anxiety,” she said. Wright, for example, has found that TV pundits and Twitter TWTR, -0.55% tend to make her more anxious. “Absolutely do not read the news or check stuff before going to sleep,” she added.
Take advantage of telehealth services
The federal government has expanded access to telemedicine in response to COVID-19, as have some states. “If you are in therapy or mental-health treatment, make sure that you continue it and ask your provider specifically if they’re providing video chat or telehealth,” Moutier said.
If you believe your mental health is deteriorating, seek help. “There’s evidence that shows that telehealth can be as effective as in-person treatment in many instances,” she said. The present situation “could be a tipping point for not just acceptance for telehealth, but also removing the barriers to it around reimbursement and access,” Wright said.
Try a mental-health app
Look for an app that has scientific backing, as well as mental or behavioral-health experts who served as subject-matter experts, Wright said. Understand the app’s privacy policy and where your data might go, and look through the reviews. Experts praise the Department of Veteran Affairs’ line of health apps, which includes apps for PTSD coping and mood boosting.
Ground yourself
Is your anxious mind racing at 100 miles per hour? Theresa Nguyen, the chief program officer for the nonprofit Mental Health America, suggested the mental-heath technique of grounding. “Grounding is a technique to use your five senses and just bring your attention to the present moment,” she said. “It’s very effective, because your mind can only think about one thing at a time.”
If you’re gardening, for example, put your hand in the soil and just focus on that. Touch whatever is around you or try reciting a mantra to yourself, and remember to breathe deeply. We sometimes hold our breath when we are anxious or working hard, which can also exacerbate our anxiety, mental-health professionals say.
Engage in activities you know will help you feel healthy and centered, Moutier said, whether it’s exercise like yoga, walking or running, or hobbies like reading, crafting or music. Relax yourself with deep breathing exercises. “Not everyone is a nature person, but there is a fairly common experience that being in nature is grounding in and of itself,” she added.
Tap into crisis hotlines
“One hundred percent, if you’re in crisis, call a hotline,” Wright said. To access coronavirus-related crisis counseling from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline, call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746. You can also reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Crisis Text Line by texting “HOME” to 741741, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
To reduce that feeling of existential dread...
Take each day as it comes. Much about the future of the pandemic remains unknown, and it’s easy to feel a sense of impending doom. Try to shorten the time frame of your perspective, Nguyen said: “If you find yourself going to, ‘What if the world is going to end?’ you want to bring it back a little closer to, ‘What am I going to do in two days, what am I going to do today, what does it look like right now?’”
This article originally appeared on MarketWatch.
