ARISE.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS NEXT MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO HEAR IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT MESSAGES WE'RE GOING
TO SHARE THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE
ORDEAL.
DR. SULLIVAN'S MESSAGE, OUR
MESSAGE GOES OUT TO THOSE WHO
MAY BE INFECTED, BUT THOSE WHO
MAY NOT BE INFECTED.
BUT CERTAINLY AFFECTED BY
COVID-19.
AND THE ADVERSE RAMIFICATIONS
THAT IT'S HAVING ON ALL OF US.
HER EMERGENCY, OUR MESSAGE IS
ONE OF HOPE AND HELP.
AND AS WE SAIL THROUGH THIS
STORM TOGETHER, WE WANT EVERYONE
TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE FOLKS
HERE WHO WILL DEAL WITH THE
TROUBLE THAT MAYBE SOME ARE
KEEPING INSIDE.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.
THERE IS NO BETTER PERSON TO DO
THAT THAN DR. SULLIVAN.
IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON SOME
OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING
AROUND THE STATE AND HOW WE'RE
REACTING TO THEM QUICKLY.
>> THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M DR. SULLIVAN, SECRETARY OF
THE INDIANA FAMILY AND SOCIAL
SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.
IN ADDITION TO HEALTHCARE AND
SOCIAL SERVICES, WE OVERSEE THE
DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION.
OUR TEAM, AND NEW LEADERS, JAY
AND RACHEL, ALONG WITH MANY,
MANY PARTNERS ACROSS INDIANA,
HAVE GONE INTO OVERDRIVE TO
SUPPORT HOOSIERS IN CREATIVE
WAYS.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW
WILL BE AMONG THE MOST CRUCIAL
ISSUES ARISING FROM THE CURRENT
CRISIS.
THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
OF HOOSIERS.
WE'VE SEEN SOME ALARMING
STATISTICS HERE IN INDIANA OVER
THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT ARE
INDICATIVE THAT OUR COLLECTIVE
PSYCHE IS INCREASINGLY FRAGILE.
GAMBLING HOT LINES, WHICH
AVERAGE 30 CALLS A MONTH HAVE
HAD 221 CALLS THIS WEEK ALONE.
OUR ADDICTION HOT LINES, WHICH
AVERAGE 20 CALLS A WEEK ARE NOW
AVERAGING 20 A DAY.
TWO AGENCIES IN SOUTHWEST
INDIANA HAVE REPORTED SOMEWHERE
AROUND A 50% INCREASE IN CRISIS
CALLS.
211, WHICH NORMALLY GETS ABOUT
1,000 TO 1100 CALLS ON A BIG DAY
HAS BEEN GETTING UP TO 25,000
CALLS A DAY, MANY RELATED TO
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDAL
IDEATIONS.
WHILE THE BULK OF OUR FOCUS HAS
BEEN ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND
HEALTHCARE EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE
PANDEMIC, THERE ARE THREE AREAS
WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
WILL BE AFFECTED BOTH DURING THE
CURRENT CRISIS AND OUR RECOVERY
FROM IT.
AND YES, THERE WILL BE A
RECOVERY.
FIRST WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE THAT
SUFFER FROM SERIOUS MENTAL
ILLNESS AND CHILDREN WHO SUFFER
FROM SERIOUS AND SEVERE
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES ARE AT
HIGHER RISK OF MENTAL HEALTH
CRISES.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY TO
PROVIDE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY,
INCLUDING USING TELEHEALTH TO
OUR TREATMENT PROVIDERS TO
INSURE THAT CRUCIAL SERVICES FOR
THIS POPULATION CAN CONTINUE.
THEY'VE RESPONDED WITH AMAZING
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.
THE ABILITY TO ACCESS MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES WITHOUT BARRIERS
LIKE TRANSPORTATION OR STANDARD
OFFICE HOURS WHILE STILL BEING
ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL
DISTANCING HAS BEEN ONE OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS RESPONSE THUS
FAR.
WE'VE LEARNED THAT THIS TYPE OF
ACCESS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO
HOOSIERS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS OR
NOT.
SECOND, WE KNOW THAT MANY
HOOSIERS, EVEN THOSE THAT DO NOT
HAVE A HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH
DIAGNOSES, ARE CURRENTLY
SUFFERING FROM AN INCREASED IN
ADVERSE MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS.
CAUSED NOT ONLY BY THE SOCIAL
DISTANCING THAT IS DISRUPTED SO
MUCH OF OUR DAILY LIVES, BUT
ALSO THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE TIME
TO COME.
NORMALLY TO THE EXTENT THAT
ANYTHING IN A DISASTER CAN BE
NORMAL, IN A DISASTER THE
SURVIVORS SUFFER A TERRIBLE LOSS
AND THEN WORK TO BUILD BACK FROM
IT.
THIS SLOWLY UNFOLDING CONSTANTLY
CHANGING LIFE AND LIVELIHOOD
DISRUPTING CRISIS IS UNLIKE
ANYTHING WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
AND IT'S GOING TO CAUSE MANY
PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE INCREASED
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.
OUR MESSAGE TO HOOSIERS GOING
THROUGH THIS IS TWO FOLD.
ONE, IT'S NORMAL TO FEEL THIS
WAY.
AND TWO, HELP AND HELP THAT
WORKS IS AVAILABLE.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF
EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS,
PLEASE SEEK HELP.
YOU CAN CALL 211.
YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE
COMPANY TO FIND ACCESS TO
TELETHERAPY.
AND YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
ABOUT WHETHER MEDICATION MIGHT
BE RIGHT FOR YOU DURING THIS
TIME.
FINALLY, AND NOT AT ALL WITHOUT
OUR NOTICE, FOR THOSE WITH
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, THIS CAN
BE AN ESPECIALLY SCARY TIME.
THEY SAY THAT THE OPPOSITE OF
ADDICTION IS NOT SOBRIETY, BUT
CONNECTION.
AND IT'S VERY EASY TO BE
DISCONNECTED RIGHT NOW.
HOWEVER, WE'VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY
BY THE RESILIENCY AND RESPONSE
OF THE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
COMMUNITIES AND WE'VE BEEN
HONORED TO SUPPORT THEM DURING
THIS TIME.
12 STEP AND OTHER GROUPS HAVE
GONE VIRTUAL.
RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER PROVIDERS AND RECOVERY
RESIDENTSES HAVE KEPT THEIR
DOORS OPEN.
THANKS TO THE QUICK WORK AT THE
DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION AND REMARKABLE
FLEXIBILITY FROM OUR FEDERAL
PARTNERS, ACCESS TO LIFE SAVING
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT
HAS BEEN PRESERVED IN INDIANA.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE
OF INDIANA'S MANY EXPERTS IN
MENTAL HEALTH, DR. AHMED, FROM
THE BOWEN CENTER.
HE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THE STATE
OF INDIANA AN INTRODUCTORY
TELEHELP APPOINTMENT AND OFFER
SOME RESOURCES FOR ALL OF US AS
WE FACE THE COMING WEEKS
TOGETHER.
WELCOME, DR. AHMED.
>> THANK YOU, GOVERNOR HOLCOMB,
SECRETARY SULLIVAN AND JAY FROM
DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION.
MY NAME IS DR. AHMED AND I'M SO
HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE REACHED OUT
TO TALK ABOUT THE STRESS AND
ANXIETY THAT ARE FEELING
OVERWHELMING FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT MANY
PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ANXIETY
AND DEPRESSION.
THIS IS A VERY NORMAL RESPONSE
TO BEING IN SUCH AN UNCERTAINTY
TIME.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE GENERALLY
CALM WILL FEEL WORRIED WHEN
THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY SO MUCH
UNCERTAINTY.
BUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE ALREADY
PRONE TO ANXIETY HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE
SYMPTOMS THAT WE ARE ALREADY
WORK TO MANAGE.
WE MIGHT BEGIN TO WORRY WHETHER
WE WILL BE AFFECTED, WHETHER OUR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE SAFE, AND
HOW WE WILL HANDLE IT IF WE
OURSELVES OR SOMEONE WE LOVE
BECOME ILL.
WHILE SOME WORRY IT'S NORMAL IN
THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
FOR SOME THE SPIKE IN ANXIETY
MAY START TO BECOME SO MUCH
OVERWHELMING THAT IT'S BECOME
DIFFICULT TO FUNCTION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REACH OUT FOR
HELP.
FIRST LET ME ASK YOU A FEW
QUESTIONS TO SEE HOW THESE
THINGS ARE AFFECTING YOUR LIFE.
ARE YOU SPENDING MOST OF YOUR
TIME FEELING WORRIED?
ARE YOU FEELING YOU CAN'T SEEM
TO CONTROL YOUR WORRY EVEN
THOUGH YOU ARE TRYING?
ARE YOU HAVING PANIC-LIKE
SYMPTOMS?
SHORTNESS OF BREATH?
CHEST PAINS, MUSCLE TIGHTNESS?
ARE YOU AVOIDING TALKING TO YOUR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY DUE TO YOUR
WORRIES?
ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE FALLING
AND STAYING ASLEEP DUE TO THIS
CONSTANT VOICE IN YOUR HEAD?
ARE YOU FEELING EMOTIONALLY OUT
OF CONTROL OR BURNED OUT?
HAVE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
STARTED MENTIONING THAT THE
THING YOU WORRY -- YOUR WORRY IS
GETTING OUT OF CONTROL?
SINCE YOU HAVE SAID TO SEVERAL
OF THESE QUESTIONS, IT APPEARS
SEEKING SOME HELP FOR YOUR
STRESS MIGHT HELP YOU FEEL
BETTER.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE IS A LOT
OF OPTIONS OUT THERE TO HELP
YOU.
SOME PEOPLE FEEL A LOT BETTER
WHEN THEY ARE ABLE TO FIND A
SUPPORT GROUP TO MANAGE THEIR
STRESS AND ANXIETY.
THESE CAN BE ONLINE OR ORGANIZED
BY A TELEHEALTH, THROUGH A FAITH
GROUP, COUNSELING CENTER.
SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO READ
SELF-HELP BOOKS TO LEARN SOME
TECHNIQUE THAT MIGHT HELP
CONTROL THEIR WORRIES.
OTHERS FIND COUNSELING WITH
SOMEONE LIKE ME TO BE INCREDIBLY
HELPFUL.
THERAPISTS ARE
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE TRAINED TO
HELP PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO SORT
THROUGH THEIR THOUGHTS AND
ORGANIZE THEM IN A WAY THEY FEEL
LESS OVERWHELMING.
ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE ABLE TO
TALK TO PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR TO
SEE IF NONADDICTIVE MEDICATION
MIGHT HELP YOU FEEL LESS
OVERWHELMED SO THAT YOU CAN DO
THINGS YOU NEED TO DO ON A DAILY
BASIS.
YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO
PARTICIPATE IN ANY OR ALL THESE
OPTIONS.
ALL ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH PHONE
OR INTERNET.
SO YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LEAVE
YOUR HOUSE.
COMMUNITY MENTAL CENTER HAVE
MANY OPTIONS FOR CARE AND THE
BOWEN CENTER WHERE I WORK, I'VE
BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE CARE VIA
TELEPHONE.
I CAN ALSO PRESCRIBE MEDICATION
AND HAVE IT DELIVERED DIRECTLY
TO YOUR DOOR.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO
AT HOME THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
MAKE A LIST OF THINGS WEIGHING
ON YOUR MIND.
CIRCLE THE THINGS YOU CAN
CONTROL AND LIST THE TOP THREE
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP MOVE
TOWARD THE MORE POSITIVE
OUTCOME.
WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF FOCUSING
ON THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME,
FORCE YOURSELF TO WRITE DOWN THE
BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME AS WELL.
TELL YOURSELF ALL IS POSSIBLE.
AND THE REALITY IS PROBABLY
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
STEP AWAY FROM YOUR TO DO LIST.
IF EVEN FOR A MOMENT AND KNOW
THAT BEING TASK ORIENT HAS ITS
PLACE, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS
HAVE TO TAKE PRIORITY.
FIND AN ALTERNATIVE.
WATCHING TELEVISION SHOW, TAKING
A WALK, TAKING A SHOWER,
READING, CALLING A LOVED ONE,
ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO TAKE YOUR
MIND OFF THE WORRIES FOR A FEW
MINUTES.
IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT BASIC
NEEDS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY,
CALL 211 TO SEE WHAT RESOURCES
MIGHT EXIST TO HELP.
THE FUTURE FEELS A LOT LESS
OVERWHELMING WHEN WE HAVE
OPTIONS.
GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT.
THIS CAN BE ANYTHING THAT YOU
LOVE.
A DESSERT, A MOMENT OF QUIET
WITHOUT YOUR FAMILY PREPARED,
PERMISSION TO GO TO BED EARLY,
WAKE UP EARLY, PRACTICE SETTING
BOUNDARIES.
SAY NO TO HELPING OTHERS IF YOU
ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT
YOURSELF.
MOVE YOUR BODY.
TRY AT HOMEWORKOUT WITH TONS OF
ONLINE AREAS, ZUMBA, AND OTHERS.
THANKS FOR REACHING OUT TO US.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU, SUPPORT
YOU AND PROVIDE RESOURCES THAT
WILL GET YOU THROUGH THIS
DIFFICULT TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, DR. AHMED.
I MADE SOME NOTES FOR MYSELF AND
THAT ALL RINGS VERY TRUE TO I
THINK EVERYONE SITTING AT THIS