The CDC offers tips and options on dealing with stress and coping.
Click here to view their Stress and Coping page.
| OUTBREAKS CAN BE STRESSFUL |
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.
Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:
• Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
• Changes in sleep or eating patterns
• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
• Worsening of chronic health problems
• Worsening of mental health conditions
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
| EVERYONE REACTS DIFFERENTLY TO STRESSFUL SITUATIONS |
How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in.
People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:
• Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19
• Children and teens
• People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors, other health care providers, and first responders
• People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use
| TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR COMMUNITY |
Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger.
Ways to cope with stress
• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Take care of your body.
• Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
• Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
| TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH |
Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.
People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. Additional information can be found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website at
www.samhsa.gov/disaster-preparedness.
| NEED HELP? KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES? |
If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others
• If you want to harm yourself or others,
call 911
• Disaster Distress Helpline: call 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746,
www.samhsa.gov/disaster-preparedness
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233, TTY 1-800-787-3224,
www.thehotline.org
• Tennessee REDLINE: 1-800-889-9789, call or text for referrals to substance misuse treatment and recovery resources
• Region 2 Lifeline: Monica Poston, 423-907-4328
• Alcoholics Anonymous: www.etiaa.org, 212-870-3400
• Narcotics Anonymous:
www.naknoxville.org, 1-844-409-3762
• Al-Anon: www.knox-al-anon.org, 1-888-425-2666
• Celebrate Recovery: www.celebraterecovery.com, 865-924-8026
• SAMHSA’s Helpline: www.samhsa.gov, 1-800-662-4357
• In The Rooms: www.intherooms.com
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress,
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Crisis Text Line: text TN to 741-741 to connect to a trained counselor 24/7,
www.crisistextline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Call 800-273-8255 and Press 1, text 838255,
www.veteranscrisisline.net
• TN Statewide Crisis Line: 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471), a 24/7 call system to help anyone experiencing a mental health crisis
• Helen Ross McNabb Mobile Crisis: 865-539-2409, mental health and crisis assessments that are available 24/7
• Mental Health America: Mental Health and COVID-19 Information and Resources,
mhanational.org/covid19
• National Alliance on Mental Illness: COVID-19 Information and Resources,
www.nami.org/covid-19 and there is a helpful guide at
www.nami.org/covid-19-guide
• Mayo Clinic: COVID-19 and Your Mental Health,
www.mayoclinic.org
Information above from CDC.gov and All4Knox.org