By Laura Richards
Granite State News Collaborative
We’ve all seen images of empty streets in Asia and Europe, supermarket shelves swept clean, people hoarding toilet paper—no matter where you live, effects of Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) are at every turn. As the days wear on, it’s hitting us in the states including New Hampshire where Governor Sununu has declared a state of emergency.
These images coupled with closures of schools and businesses in our communities can cause a sense of unsettle. Those with preexisting mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, and children are especially vulnerable during this time. Of course, the primary focus of any pandemic is on medical resources and preservation of physical health but what about mental health?
"Adults respond to crises in a patterned way," explains Ronald W. Manderscheid, an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health writes in the Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, "One third become immobilized, one third become hyperactive and hypervigilant, and one third continue to function normally."
Back in 2003, when we were facing the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak which was also caused by a coronavirus called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), there were similar issues with mental health. The US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health published a study on the psychological effects of quarantine in Toronto during the SARS outbreak and noted an increase in depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and all respondents, “described a sense of isolation.”
One of the authors of that study, Dr. Sandro Galea, states a key takeaway, “Even if we can halt the physical spread of a disease through the expeditious use of quarantine and social distancing, we will still have to contend with its mental health effects in the long-term.” A priority now, Dr. Galea states, is to look to the past and what we’ve learned from previous pandemics and even natural disasters and major societal uprisings to understand how to mitigate mental health issues most effectively now.
This will mean different things to different people as we all process stress and anxiety in different ways but the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has offered the following concrete tips from Dr. Doreen Marshall for what you can do right now to improve your mental health during this time of significant uncertainty:
Separate what is in your control from what is not: There are things you can do, and it’s helpful to focus on those like washing your hands and asking others to do the same. Limit your consumption of news (Do you really need to know what is happening on a cruise ship you aren’t on?).
Do what helps you feel a sense of safety: This will be different for everyone, and it’s important not to compare yourself to others.
Get outside in nature: Go for a walk and get some sun while maintaining social distancing. Exercise helps both your physical and mental health.
Challenge yourself to stay in the present: Perhaps your worry is compounding—you are not only thinking about what is currently happening, but also projecting into the future. When you find yourself worrying about something that hasn’t happened, gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Notice the sights, sounds, tastes and other sensory experiences in your immediate moment and name them. Engaging in mindfulness activities is one way to help stay grounded when things feel beyond your control.
Stay connected and reach out if you need more support: Talk to trusted friends about what you are feeling. If you are feeling particularly anxious or if you are struggling with your mental health, it’s OK to reach out to a mental health professional for support. You don’t have to be alone with your worry and it can be comforting to share what you are experiencing with those trained to help.
Dr. Galea also reminds us that we are all in this together and no one should ever have to feel alone. “As we continue to use social distancing we should also reach out in whatever safe ways we can, letting the ones in our lives know that, though perhaps physically isolated, they remain embedded in a web of care and concern,” Dr. Galea states, “Our health, both physical and mental, is linked. When trauma strikes a society, it does not just strike a group of individuals who happen to live in the same place. It exposes how connected we are and want to be. It is compassion and simply looking out for each other that will support health—physical and mental—in the days to come.”
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has information and resources for residents in need of mental health care during this time including 24-hour emergency services. Click on the link above for a full list with phone numbers and contact information or contact your primary care physician for help.
These stories are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.