by Melissa Ronan

Covid-19 is, to put it mildly, wreaking havoc on our mental health, and on our relationships. The brutal combination of uncertainty, isolation, forced togetherness, financial stress, lack of childcare help and limitation on our activities can feel overwhelming.

· For anyone with a history of anxiety, depression, control issues or relationship problems, these factors exacerbate our pre-existing conditions. We may have tools in our toolbox, but they aren’t as effective now.

· Some may never have struggled with mental health issues, or have been able to navigate relationship issues on their own, and aren’t sure where to start, given our inability to change much about the external factors.

What can we do to help ourselves cope better emotionally so that we can thrive instead of simply survive during this unprecedented time?

If you’re dealing with depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, or any other issue affecting your mental health, you are not alone. There are invaluable resources on the internet that provide information and, sometimes, direct support. Sources like helpguide.com or childmind.org provide information on countless social and emotional issues. Specialized organizations like Anxiety.org, the National Alliance on Mental Health, and Black Mental Wellness provide information targeted to more specific concerns.

These resources will frequently prescribe exercise, journaling, and mindfulness. These suggestions sound simple and you may doubt that they can make a difference, but all are proven effective in overcoming mental health challenges. Pelham Together has dozens of resources on our website, all searchable by keyword in the main search box. In addition, the vetted local service providers on our site can be filtered by topic. The resources are for children, adolescents and adults; individuals, couples and families.

If you find that educating yourself and self-directed activities don’t work well enough, then professional help is a logical next step. If you’re apprehensive about seeing a mental health professional, start with your medical doctor. Your doctor can screen you for depression, can help you address sleep issues, and can do blood work that may indicate an underlying condition that is contributing to mental health issues.

If you decide you’d like help from a mental health professional, your doctor can suggest the type of mental health provider who could best help you, and may be able to refer you to a specific provider. Mental health professionals offer several benefits: they listen without judging; everything you say to them is confidential; they normalize and validate your feelings; they help you find coping skills that work for you; and they guide you to finding a path forward through the questions they ask. Good mental health professionals don’t prescribe how you should handle a situation – instead they help you to figure out solutions for yourself.

Are you reluctant to get professional help because of barriers like stigma, cost, anxiety about the process, or lack of motivation? Many of us struggle with these concerns. But consider the alternatives: the emotional pain or relationship problems you’ll continue to experience, the cost of lost work productivity or divorce, the discomfort of keeping your suffering hidden from your friends and family, and/or the effect your unaddressed issues have on your physical health and on those around you. In addition, taking action provides some control in a world full of uncertainties.

If you decide to seek out a mental health professional, please see Pelham Together’s guide to finding a therapist who is a good fit for you, as well as our guide for finding affordable therapy. In these guides, we attempt to make the process of identifying high quality, effective, affordable mental health care as easy as possible.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving