O.C. mental health resources to help with the COVID-19 crisis

As the spread and far-reaching impacts of Covid-19 dominate the world news, we have all witnessed and experienced the parallel spread of worry, anxiety, and uncertainty. The way to overcome this natural tendency is to build our mental resilience, the ability to refocus, clear our minds, and discard negative thoughts.

What you can do:

1.   Remember that knowledge is power. Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune response to COVID-19 will matter as much as, or more than, understanding the virus. There is great information available on the OC Health Care Agency website, www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.

2.   Don’t accept everything you read or hear. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and frequent updates on the COVID-19’s spread, severity, risk assessment, etc. on their website, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

3.   Get your emotional support system in place:

–      Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible; take care of your basic needs and employ helpful coping strategies: rest during work or between shifts, eat healthy food and engage in physical activity

–      Stay connected with friends and family, even virtually connected, and maintain your social networks

–      Have the emails and phone numbers of close friends and family handy

4.   Take control and incorporate preventative measures

–      See the CDC’s list of preventative measures

–      A near-constant stream of news reports can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Instead, seek updates and practical guidelines at intervals during the day.

–      Be supportive to others. Assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.

If you or a loved one are feeling anxiety, worry or fear related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, you can reach out to these resources for support:

Call 1(855) OC-LINKS or visit www.ochealthinfo.com/oclinks Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm to talk or chat with a trained, clinical navigator.

The NAMI Warmline is also here to provide non-crisis support for anyone struggling with mental health concerns Monday through Friday from from 9 am to 3 am, and Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 3 am. 1(877) 910-WARM or www.namioc.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Download the NAMI HelpLine Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide

American Psychological Association (APA) ‘Building Your Resilience’

For general information about COVID-19, please call the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448, visit http://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus, or follow the HCA on Facebook (@ochealthinfo) and Twitter (@ochealth).

For non-medical questions, contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085.