The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID- 19) along with the many recommendations and mandates may be stressful. Fear and anxiety about COVID-19 can be overwhelming and invoke emotions. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.
What is…? Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation during an infectious disease outbreak.
What Is Social Distancing?
Social distancing is a way to keep people from interacting closely or frequently enough to spread an infectious disease. Schools, leisurely gathering places, and restaurants have closed in Minnesota. Other kinds of gatherings like religious services may also be cancelled.
What Is Quarantine?
Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who have been exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. It lasts long enough to ensure the person has not contracted an infectious disease.
What Is Isolation?
Isolation prevents the spread of an infectious disease by separating people who are sick from those who are not. It lasts as long as the disease is contagious.
How to support yourself. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.
- Take breaks and be mindful of time spent watching, reading, listening to news coverage and social media
- Take good care of your body. Stretch, meditate, take deep breaths. Try to eat healthy, drink plenty of water, exercise, and get plenty of sleep to allow your mind and body to process and rejuvenate.
- Make time to unwind and do leisurely homebased activities. Puzzles, coloring, cooking/baking, reading, beading, sewing, crafting, etc.
- Connect with others and reach out to loved ones for phone calls and support.
- Understand the risks and educate yourself
- Work with your employer to reduce financial stress
- Keep things in perspective and get the facts
- Keep yourself healthy
- Pay attention to your body, feelings, and spirit
For parents: Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. In part, they react based off what they see and hear from adults around them. When parents and caregivers are responding to COVID- 19 calmly and confidently they are modeling and can provide the best support for their children. You may see many different kinds of behaviors from your children: excessive crying or irritation in younger children, returning behaviors they have outgrown, unhealthy eating or sleeping habits, difficulty with attention and concentration, and more.
How to support your child:
- Take time to talk to your child or teen about COVID- 19 outbreak and answer questions and share facts in way they can understand.
- Reassure them that they are safe. Normalize their feelings of worry or feelings of being upset and share with them how you cope with those feelings.
- Try to keep regular routines, and in the instance of eLearning try and create new routines around learning activities, ways to get exercise, relax, and fun activities.
- Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the outbreak and pay attention to content on their social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can worry about things they do not understand.
What to do if you are having an exceptional amount of worry or inability to cope:
You may experience serious distress when you hear about an infectious disease outbreak, even if you are at little or no risk of getting sick. If you or someone you know shows signs of stress for several days or weeks, get help by accessing one of the resources listed below.
Jay Hunter, LMFT, (651) 269-0485 (15-20-minute calls at no cost to our community)
Rose Joiner, LMFT, (612) 406-2224 (15-20-minute calls at no cost to our community)
*Please be patience with responses as they are consultants
Tuesday & Thursday Support Meetings (AA/NA/Circle) will be available over the phone from 12PM – 1PM. Please call 507-697-8679 and you will be added to call automatically. These meetings are chaired by Woniya Kini Staff Members.
Western Mental Health Center Mobile Crisis at (800) 658-2429
Sojourn Counseling at 507-430-0261 currently offering counseling group in response to COVID- 19 on Saturday 03/21 & Saturday 03/28 call for more details. Cost associated with services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMSHA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 664746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)
Wellness in the Woods Peer Support Connection Warmline of Minnesota at (844) 739-6369 call or text between 5PM – 9AM with any peer support needed at no cost
If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed and feel like you want to harm yourself or others call 911
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255
