By the the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
“Regrets over yesterday and fear of tomorrow are twin thieves that rob us of today.” – Robert Hastings
As news about coronavirus (COVID-19) dominates the headlines and public concern is on the rise, remember that taking care of your mental health is as important as looking after your physical health. Good mental health and positive wellbeing can help you and your family better cope with COVID-19 and the uncertainty it’s creating.
Some ways to look after your mental health:
- Seek information from legitimate sources and set limits around media exposure
- Take care of yourself (Airplane Rules: Put your own oxygen mask on before helping others)
- Safely reach out to others and support people around you
- Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking; read something good and uplifting
- Acknowledge your feelings, bounce them off a friend or loved one
- Take time to talk to children about COVID-19
- Ask for support, including professional support if needed. Asking for help is a sign of strength; none of us can do this alone.
WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS AND ANXIETY
- Recognize signs of stress:
BEHAVIORAL | PHYSICAL | EMOTIONAL | THINKING |
Having difficulty giving or accepting help | Headaches or other pain | Feeling anxious | Feeling confused |
Increase in irritability or worrying | Changes in appetite | Feeling angry | Trouble remembering |
Not wanting to talk or be with others | Easily startled | Feeling sad or depressed | Difficulty concentrating |
Having trouble relaxing or sleeping | Stomachaches | Not caring about anything | Difficulty with decision making |
2. Connect with Others: Reaching out to people you trust is one of the best ways to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness, and boredom during social distancing, quarantine, and isolation.
Remember, you can still:
- Call friends and loved ones on the phone, and connect by email and text messaging
- Talk “face to face” with friends and loved ones using Skype or FaceTime
- Spend time with friends or loved ones in groups less than 10, 6 feet apart
3. Practice Practical Ways to Cope
- Get some exercise and physical activity daily, if possible
- Relax your body often by doing things that work for you—take deep breaths, stretch, meditate, or engage in pleasurable hobbies
- Use time off to relax—eat a good meal, read, listen to music, take a bath, or talk to family
- Talk about your feelings to loved ones and friends often
- Learn something new – find intellectual engagement through books, reading and limited internet
- Have positive family time where you are actively working to counter negativity
- Take some alone time, outside if possible, but inside too
- Be discerning in exposure to news media; find your balance in being informed and stepping away
- When struggling with competing priorities and feeling pulled in all directions, build brief pauses into your day to: 1) de-stress 2) collect thoughts 3) let go of one task and prepare for the next 4) savor life
- The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr offers wisdom about where we put our psychological efforts: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference between the two.”
- Have you and your child name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you smell, 2 things you can touch and 1 thing you can taste
- Use grounding strategies
TALKING TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ABOUT COVID-19
Children and adolescents may have different mental health needs related to the current COVID-19 outbreak. As families are impacted, it is important to understand how to effectively listen and communicate with children and adolescents about what they are experiencing.
Be open, honest, and age appropriate
It is important to be able to discuss issues like coronavirus (COVID-19) with your children in an open and honest way. Your children have already heard and seen information about things that are happening. Try to limit what they see and hear (limit yourself as well) and have them check with you to help them understand myth from fact. When having conversations, it is necessary to find out what they know and what questions they may have.
When speaking to children, be developmentally appropriate. Answer honestly and clearly and make sure your children know you are available to have ongoing conversations. When addressing mental health and stress, use language that makes sense for them and avoid making things too complex. Be sure to be open to any questions or thoughts your children may have. The work of children is play. Play with your children and look for themes of fear or danger where you can be reassuring, comforting, supportive and shift to positive outcomes.
Mental Health and Stress in Children and Youth
Mental health and stress can express themselves in many ways for children. Often, children convey how they are feeling through their behaviors. Younger children may express fear and worry by withdrawing or becoming clingy with a parent or caregiver. They may have stomach aches or changes in sleeping habits. For older children, they may argue with others, disengage from family and friends or engage in other behaviors that are not typical for them. More signs include:
BEHAVIORAL | PHYSICAL | EMOTIONAL | THINKING |
Clingy | Headaches or other pain | Feeling anxious | Feeling confused |
Increase in irritability or worrying | Changes in appetite or eating habits | Feeling angry | Trouble remembering |
Acting out behaviors | Easily startled | Feeling sad or depressed | Difficulty concentrating |
Having trouble relaxing or sleeping | Stomachaches | Not caring about anything | Difficulty with decision making |
As parents and caregivers, you can help children by:
- Paying attention, being a good listener, and acknowledging worries
- Allowing them to ask questions
- Limiting their news exposure
- Encouraging positive coping activities
- Practicing controlled breathing with them
- Trying progressive muscle relaxation with them
- Setting a timer for worries
- Using a journal or feelings tracker with them
- Helping them focus on what we can change and practicing letting go of what we can’t
- Helping them write or draw a story/picture about defeating their worries
- Modeling and highlighting the importance of self-care
- Keeping routines and schedules, including creating school, homework and social time
- Scheduling and having positive family time
- Remaining calm and reassuring
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Mental Health/Substance Use
- For best practices around your behavioral health and social distancing, isolation and quarantine see this resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
- The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
- If you are in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts call the National Suicide Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
- Access the SafeUT Crisis Chat and Tip Line from your smartphone by downloading the SafeUT app. Licensed clinicians and Crisis Workers are available 24/7 to help with immediate support and referral resources.
- Call the U of U Warm Line at 801-587-1055 if you feel lonely or need support.
- Download the MY3 app to set up a safety plan for times of developing crisis.
- If you need to connect with someone because of an ongoing alcohol or drug problem, call 2-1-1 to find support meetings or resources near you.
Children’s Mental Health and Childcare
- If you need emergency child care you can contact 2-1-1 for resources or call your local Family Support Center to use their crisis nursery
- Help Me Grow Utah can help provide parents and caregivers resources to help their children.
- Utah Parent Center is available to help parents and caregivers find resources for any special need including mental health.
Financial Supports
- Employees negatively impacted by COVID-19 due to illness or otherwise unable to work due to the virus should apply for unemployment insurance: jobs.utah.gov/ui/home
Please visit coronavirus.utah.gov or call 800-456-7707 for any COVID-19 questions.