>> IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN TWO MONTHS THAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
AND FOR MONEY THAT MEANS
EVERYTHING FROM BEING COOPED UP
AT HOME LOSING JOBS AND EVEN
LOSING LOVED ONES.
>> ALL OF THAT CAN TAKE A MAJOR
TOLL ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
EVEN IF YOUR LIFE IS NOT
CHANGED TOO MUCH.
IF IT STILL HAS AN IMPACT.
>> HOW CAN YOU BEST TAKE CARE
OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH DURING
THIS TIME?
WARNING IN GOOD HEALTH REPORTER
KIRSTEN O’CONNOR IS STANDING BY
NOW TO ASK ADDUCTOR.
>> IT IS EASY TO FEEL OUT OF
SORTS LATELY.
LIFE IS DIFFERENT AND YOU CAN’T
HANG OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR
FAMILY THE WAY YOU USE TO AND
YOU CANNOT EVEN REALLY ENJOY
MANY OF YOUR FAVORITE
ACTIVITIES.
YOU MAY BE FEELING ISOLATED OR
JUST OFF.
SO I SET UP A ZOOM CALL WITH
LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH
THERAPIST JESSE WAS SOUTH
SEMINOLE HOSPITAL.
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON MENTAL
HEALTH.
>> HAVE YOU HEARD ANY COMMON
THEMES JUST ABOUT THE WAY THE
PEOPLE ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE
EXPRESSING STRESS ABOUT NOT
KNOWING WHEN THIS IS GOING TO
END.
IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE THEY
CANNOT SEE LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE TUNNEL.
ENTER THEM I’VE SUGGESTED
SETTING THEIR OWN KIND OF
PERSONAL GOALS FOR THINGS TO
DO.
IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO HAVE THE
PANDEMIC GOING ON IN YOUR MIND
BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST DO THINGS
TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF
ACCOMPLISHMENT AND CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD, THAT CAN DISTRACT
YOU.
>> THE DISTRACTIONS ARE KEY, I
CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
IF YOU’RE FEELING LIKE YOU’RE
STARTING TO STRUGGLE.
HE SAID LOOKING FOR WAYS TO
CHANGE IT UP CAN REALLY MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
>> NATURE IS REALLY GOOD
MEDICINE.
GETTING OUT AND RESPONSIBLY AND
SAFELY BICYCLING OR GOING FOR A
WALK, THAT INNOVATIVE SELF INTO
BID TO BRIGHTEN YOUR MOOD AND
ALSO SUPPORT YOUR HEALTH.
ADDITIONALLY, USING PROGRAMS
LIKE WHAT WE ARE USING NOW.
ZOOM.
FOLKS HAVE BEEN HAVING VIRTUAL
HANGOUTS.
FRIENDS THAT WOULD NORMALLY SEE
EACH OTHER FACE-TO-FACE
KHALEESI EACH OTHER’S FACES AND
ENGAGE IN SOME KIND OF ACTIVITY
TOGETHER.
>> AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN EVEN
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE YOU DON’T
NORMALLY SEE.
SO THAT IS FUN TO SEE THE ZOOM
CALLS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES
WE ARE SEEING IS FOR THE
PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING FROM
HOME WILL ALSO STRUGGLING TO
HELP THEIR KIDS FINISH SCHOOL
ASSIGNMENTS AND KEEP FOCUSED ON
WHAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING FOR THE JOB.
SO HE SAID ESTABLISHING A
ROUTINE AND STICKING TO IT IS
KEY.
>> THE PARENTS WHO ARE TRYING
TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN DURING
THIS DISTANCE-LEARNING AND WORK
FROM HOME HAVE BEEN EXPRESSING
HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS.
>> YES, THAT IS A BIG CHALLENGE
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AS FAR AS IF YOU WERE JUST
WORKING OR EVEN IF YOU’RE
TRYING TO TEACH HER KIDS TO
WORK.
IF YOU CAN HAVE A DESIGNATED
SPACE IN THE HOUSE FOR EACH
ACTIVITY.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SEPARATE
ROOM, MAKE PART OF THE TABLE
YOUR OFFICE.
OR YOUR CLASSROOM.
AND HAVE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES BUT
ALSO HAVE A SOLID CUT OFF
BECAUSE IT WILL BE TEMPTING TO
KEEP WORKING BECAUSE YOU ARE AT
HOME AND YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE
ACCESS TO WORK.
SO PEOPLE FEEL PRESSURED TO
KEEP WORKING AND WORKING.
DON’T DO THAT.
FORGIVE YOURSELF AND UNDERSTAND
YOU’RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT
LESS PRODUCTIVE AND TAKE
YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK.
YOU SAID THAT THE CLOCK IS THE
TIME YOU ARE DONE.
STOP AT FIVE.
>> AND FINALLY MAKE SURE TO
CHECK IN ON YOUR LOVED ONES.
LOTS OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL NOT
SEE MUCH OF THERE HAVING A
TOUGH TIME.
THEY WILL REACH OUT TO YOU.
SO SHOW YOUR CHARACTER BEEN
MORE THAN YOU KNOW.
>> THE LAST THING IF YOU HAVE
NOT HEARD FROM A FRIEND OR
RELATIVE IN A WHILE, TAKE YOUR
TIME TO REACH OUT.
JUST CHECK IN ON THEM LIKE HEY,
HOW ARE YOU FEELING AND WHAT
HAS BEEN GOING ON.
ENGAGE WITH THEM EVEN IF IT IS
SOMEONE YOU MIGHT NOT
NECESSARILY NOT HAVE JUST TO
MAKE SURE THEY ARE OKAY.
>> THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
I DON’T MIND PERSONALLY SHARING
THAT DURING THIS TIME I EACHED
OUT OUT TO LICENSED MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELORS AND IT’S DONE
SO MUCH TO ME AND I KNOW WILL
DO SO MUCH FOR YOU AND THAT WAS
THANKS TO SOME SPECIAL FRIENDS
THAT I HAVE CHECKED IN ON ME.
SO MAYBE DO THAT CHECK IN WITH
YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY AND LET
ME BE THE FRIEND TO TELL YOU IT
IS OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP.
SENDING IT BACK TO YOU,
BRIDGETT AND CANDACE.
>> JUST AWESOME ADVICE, KIRSTEN
O’CONNOR.
AND I THINK LIKE WE SAID EVEN
IF EVERYONE’S ROUTINE IS NOT
CHANGED THAT MUCH EVERYBODY HAS
BEEN IMPACTED IN SOME WAY BY
THIS AND SO JUST TO FEEL HEARD
AND HAVE SOMEONE LISTEN TO YOU
RIGHT NOW IS SO IMPORTANT.
THESE COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN SO
BUSY.
>> THEY ARE SO BUSY AND THEY
ARE BUSY FOR GOOD REASON.
WE ALL NEED IT SO TAKE IT ALL
OF US HERE IN NEWS 6. WE ARE