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I'm reaching out today to tell everyone this: people do care about your mental health -- especially right now, during the pandemic. I am one of these people. I have written a few posts on the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health now (listed below) and it's because I'm hoping they will help the mental health of people dealing with pandemic challenges (which is basically everyone). But it's not just me. Other people care about your mental health during this pandemic. I want to make this clear. I want to make it clear so that you know that while it's hard, please don't give up. People want to be there for you.
Some might argue that mental health is not the thing to care about during a pandemic -- after all, it's COVID-19 that's filling up hospital beds and killing people right now. And while that's absolutely true, one should not discount the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on people's mental health and mental illnesses. While COVID-19 may kill in the short-term, it's infected mental health and worsening mental illnesses that can cause misery in the long-term. In fact, I believe that we will see a spike in suicides due to the pandemic. While human suffering due to poor mental health or mental illness is awful, mental health effects can kill as well and we shouldn't forget that.
Here you can see what I've already written about mental health and the pandemic:
I just got off an Instagram Live session with Lt. Governor for New York State, Kathy Hochul. The Lt. Governor's office reached out to me last week about having a conversation about how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people's mental health and how people can deal with these mental health effects. I'm truly honored to have spoken with the Lt. Governor, but moreover, I'm pleased that such a high-ranking politician in New York State is trying to spread the right messages about mental health and the coronavirus. I would hate to put words in her mouth, but what she has done suggests that she cares about other's mental health during this pandemic. I find this very promising.
There were days gone by, of course, where mental health was never mentioned and no matter how much pain circumstances caused one, no one seemed to care. Well, the COVID-19 pandemic is being treated differently. Today, we're seeing lots of organizations and people who care about your mental health during the pandemic. While I know some of us are in great pain and much of that pain has been caused or worsened by coronavirus, I also know there are now, more than ever, ways to reach out.
Of course, there are the traditional ways to reach out for mental health help and they include hotlines like Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States (see information here for US and worldwide mental health help information). And please remember, you do not have to be suicidal to reach out to Lifeline and other support networks.
In addition to the resources listed at that link, there are many other American organizations I've found that care about your mental health during the pandemic:
And the amazing people at Lifeline have put together an even longer list of pandemic-mental health-related resources for you here.
And, of course, in the case of a mental health or mental illness emergency, you should never hesitate to call 9-1-1.
If you're looking for mental health help internationally and don't know where to start, call the suicide hotline for your country and they should be able to direct your to more specific resources if needed.
All this is to say that your mental health during this pandemic matters. I care about it. Other people care about it. You're not wrong if you think this time is stressful and hard. You are not alone in those feelings. It is okay to reach out whether it's because of anxiety and stress or because of suicidal thoughts. Other people are feeling that way too. Get help. You are not alone.
Natasha Tracy is an award-winning writer, speaker, advocate, and consultant from the Pacific Northwest. She has been living with bipolar disorder for 26 years and has written more than 2000 articles on the subject.
Find more of Natasha’s work in her acclaimed book: "Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression & Bipolar" on Amazon.
Connect with Natasha at the social media links below.
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I’m never going to call bipolar pain a “gift.” Most days, I just want it to stop. But emotional and even physical pain aren’t always random torture—they’re often trying to tell us something. This piece digs into what your pain might be saying, how to listen, and how that can make living with it just a little easier.
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Just heard devastating news that Dr. Lorna Breen, medical director of the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital in Manhattan committed suicide on Sunday. This is very discouraging news indeed
But let’s face it, there was bound to be a mental health fall out with more than 290,000 confirmed cases and 17,515 deaths in NY attributed to COVID 19 in less than 4 months! I can only imagine the horrors and challenges of working on the front lines.
To me it just proves that no one is immune to the mental health effects of this damn pandemic. After all we are only human. We’re all connected. I believe we each have a responsibility and unique role to play in helping one another. Never underestimate the power of a kind word or supportive gesture. It can go a long way sometimes. Let’s all show some compassion and be forces for good in our community.
Remember, don’t be too proud to ask for help when you need it. Take courage and reach out. It is a sign of strength not weakness to ask for the help you need and if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again until you get some.
Just watched this amazing video of
Kevin Hines, a bipolar survivor and advocate
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ4XCNZdKfI
Please don’t silence your pain!!! There is hope!!!
Hi M,
I’ve actually met Kevin and he’s done a guest post here. You can find it here: https://staging.natashatracy.com/mental-illness-issues/suicide/suicide-survivors-story-aims-save/
– Natasha Tracy
my guess is that the covid pandemic (and everything that goes along with it; isolation; lost opportunities, etc.) is hitting my kids’ generation the hardest. my youngest is stuck at home for what would have been her triumphant senior spring term of high school; college is now up in the air as everyone tries to imagine what fall will bring. still, there used to be an anacin (pain reliever) commercial — life gets tougher, we get stronger. in the long run i believe that’s true. my parents (mid 80s) were children of the great depression, i’ve always thought of their generation as the real “great generation,” instead of their older siblings’, whose lives were warped by the war.
there are lots of terrible outcomes to foresee here (eg, bad flu year on top of second covid wave;) but one possibility is that mental illness, especially anxiety and depression, will become so prevalent as to be considered “normal.” lord knows, wall street has made mania seem like common sense.
So far, I seem to be doing well, all things considered. But I want to add my personal support for anyone who’s struggling right now – you sure as hell have plenty of reason to have a rough time.
Natasha mentioned suicide – I know a uni student who died the other day that way. People’s support networks have been decimated by this virus. Please use the resources Natasha listed, and *don’t give up* until you’ve got the help you need!
Thank you for writing this blog, and for expressing your care.
At first, this pandemic played into my wanting to withdraw from society, self-isolate, and generally shut down and shut out anyone, anything. Whilst my OCD went into overdrive and though not consuming, using copious amounts of bleach, that has slowed.
I still talk to my psychiatrist and psychologist, although via phone no video. No way you will get me on a video cam. But as time goes on, I am finding that despite shutting off social media, the news, or general negativity to the situation of the world, my anxiety has gone through the roof. Whilst very tired near all the time, I am having trouble getting any quality of sleep. My fuse is incredibly short. My service dog has become a huge source of annoyance. Whilst never having issues with self-harm other than suicide attempts, I have only this week turned to cutting, something I have never done before.
Yet I live in Australia. One of the safest places to live at the moment. I want to catch Covid as a way of dealing with it, as in wanting to get it over and done with it, removing the fear. I understand but I don’t.
Part of the reason I am sure is I do not believe life in our generation will go back to normal. Economically, socially, our access to the community (which is already severely hampered due to mental illness)… nothing is going to be normal again. This is a thought that seems to be compounded continually with any little snippet of news that you hear.
I have a good support network. I have medications that for the most part hold me stable. At the moment, they are not. My normal go to tools to cope are not working anywhere near as well as they normally do. Yet it doesn’t make sense. Because I am not scared. Maybe it has reinforced anything worth fighting for, any sort of normal life has been taken away.
Again, good article. I am sure I am not the only one confused by my mental and physical reaction to this current crisis
I appreciate this article. I’ve been concerned about how this pandemic might “push someone over the edge”. Not me, but I know there are people that are prone to thoughts of ending it when the going gets tough. Good article, Natasha.
Hi D,
Thank you so much. I hope it will get shared so more people will get the message.
– Natasha Tracy