Taking Care of Your Mental Health during the COVID-19 Infectious Disease Outbreak
The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and unsettling for each one of us. Emotional reactions during this time of crisis can appear very different from person to person. Whether you feel scared, anxious, grateful, hopeful, angry, it is all valid. Be where you are. Rather than avoid or ignore unpleasant emotions, we encourage you to pause and tune in to what you’re feeling.
By acknowledging our experience, we can then better understand what we need in any given moment and take action to foster resilience during these challenging times. We at CAPS are here to support you in this process. We selected some of resources we hope will support you in navigating current challenges.
Community Resources
CAPS Clinical Social Work has complied community resources that may be helpful to you as we weather the shelter-in-place and social isolation recommendation during the covid-19 pandemic. Many resources listed are Illinois based, though similar resources may be available in other areas of the country.
By Topic
General Mental Health and Wellness
Coping with Stress, Anxiety, and Uncertainty
We are hardwired to experience different levels of stress and anxiety during this time of uncertainty and global threat to our health and well-being. These feelings are to be expected. To strengthen your emotional resilience, we at CAPS have selected the below resources to enhance your ability to cope with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty.
Maintaining Connection
Social connection is one of the key ingredients to remaining resilient during this time of physical distancing. We at CAPS encourage each of you to find ways to combat isolation and loneliness and have selected resources below to fuel your connection to others.
Coping with Grief and Loss
It is normal and expected to be experiencing feelings of loss and grief during this time of constant and unexpected change, and threat to health and financial stability. Whether you are being impacted by the loss of a loved one, the loss of your health, or the losses of what you had envisioned this season in your life to be, we at CAPS are here to help you cope with these unpredictable challenges.
Support and Safety in Abusive Households
During this time of physical isolation and quarantine, we at CAPS recognize the disturbing rise in domestic violence and likelihood for abuse of all types as students have been confined to their households. If this fits your experience or the experience of someone you care about, below are selected resources to support your safety and well-being (or the safety and well-being of a friend or loved one) during this difficult time.