Natural Disaster & Pandemic Recovery
Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, & worry during and after a disaster.
It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, & worry during and after a disaster.
Everyone reacts differently, and your own feelings will change over time.
Everyone reacts differently, and your own feelings will change over time.
Taking care of your emotional health during an emergency will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family.
Taking care of your emotional health during an emergency will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family.
Take the following steps to cope with a disaster:
Take the following steps to cope with a disaster:
- Take care of your body
Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
- Connect with others
Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.
Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.
- Take breaks
Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try taking in deep breaths. Try to do activities you usually enjoy.
Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try taking in deep breaths. Try to do activities you usually enjoy.
- Stay informed
When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.
When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.
- Avoid too much exposure to news
Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.
Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.
- Seek help when needed
If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to a clergy member, counselor, or doctor.
If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to a clergy member, counselor, or doctor.
Take Steps to Minimize & Address Stress
Take Steps to Minimize & Address Stress
Keep normal routines.
Keep normal routines.
Take part in enjoyable activities.
Take part in enjoyable activities.
focus on positive aspects of your life and things that you can control.
focus on positive aspects of your life and things that you can control.
Seek support from friends and family.
Seek support from friends and family.
Engage in stress reduction techniques and physical activity.
Engage in stress reduction techniques and physical activity.
Simple Activities to Reduce Stress, Anxiety & Worry
Simple Activities to Reduce Stress, Anxiety & Worry
Squeeze Muscles: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat exercise moving up your body.
Squeeze Muscles: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat exercise moving up your body.
Belly Breathing: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
Belly Breathing: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
Mindful Meal: Pay attention to the smell, taste and look of your food. No multitasking.
Mindful Meal: Pay attention to the smell, taste and look of your food. No multitasking.
Meditation: Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position. Pick something to focus on, like your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
Meditation: Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position. Pick something to focus on, like your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
Blowing Bubbles: Notice their shapes, textures and colors.
Blowing Bubbles: Notice their shapes, textures and colors.
Coloring: Color something. Focus on the colors and designs.
Coloring: Color something. Focus on the colors and designs.
Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or an instrument.
Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or an instrument.
If you experience these feelings or behaviors for several days in a row and are unable to carry out normal responsibilities because of them, seek professional help
Take care of your mental health
Take care of your mental health
Get immediate help in a crisis
Get immediate help in a crisis
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