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A side effect of the coronavirus — anxiety — is spreading even faster than the disease itself.
Sue Abderholden, executive director of the state’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, says the signs are everywhere of mental health under siege.
In March, when the virus first arrived in force in the United States, calls to a crisis hotline jumped fivefold, according to the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration. NAMI’s website, namimn.org, has seen a surge of interest.
Experts like Abderholden always have recommended social contact as a way to promote mental health. But during the pandemic, that advice can be fatal. So, they’ve been forced to find new ways to promote emotional and psychological well-being.
Abderholden answered the following questions for the Pioneer Press on July 15:
What is the state of Minnesota’s mental health? Mental health is not so great right now.
How is coronavirus harming mental health? With COVID, there is great uncertainty. We were told at first it would be only a few weeks. Now we are told months. It has more people on edge.
If people isolate themselves, what’s the result? They miss graduations, birthdays and wedding parties. They will experience grief.
Is it tougher for single people? Everyone is struggling. Look at parents, who are at home but also working. They worry about catching COVID and giving it to their families.
Then there is the economic collapse, which hurts people who aren’t even sick. That affects everyone.
Does the killing of George Floyd make it worse? Oh, yes. That adds to the sense of angst and hopelessness. If you are a person of color, your distress is even higher.
What do you recommend? Practicing mindfulness. Be mindful of your breathing. Be mindful of what you have. Before you get out of bed in the morning, name three or five things you are grateful for. Put your mind in a positive space.
That’s not easy, after you see the daily news. Frankly, you should limit that. Limit how much news you consume.
I am stuck inside all day. What should I do in my own home? Create a schedule, and stick to it. Create some normalcy. Also, limit the junk food.
What new approaches have you introduced? We have free classes for workplaces, families, teachers, teenagers and farmers. We have classes on stress eating, suicide prevention, and minority mental health. We have links to online and in-person support groups. We have movie discussion groups. We have a class summarizing the 2020 legislative session.
When you connect on a computer, what do you do? You can play games. My daughters and I play Bananagrams together. Or you can watch a TV show together, then comment on it.
Are there any substitutes for face-to-face contact? You can have Zoom calls, where you can actually look at someone. But don’t sit there and say, ‘How are you doing today?’ Have other things to talk about.
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