CALIFORNIA, USA — May is Mental Health Awareness month. With the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, experts said more and more people need help. Many people have lost jobs, they haven’t been able to socialize, and anxiety has set in.
Fortunately, there’s free help available, and you can get it without leaving your home.
“It's been very difficult," said Ida Robinson.
Robinson works in the mental health industry, but since the pandemic began, she's now the one seeking help.
"I don’t like confinement at all," said Robinson.
Pre-pandemic, research showed one in five adults battling some sort of mental health issue. Experts believe it’s gotten much worse.
"People are just worried about the uncertainty. There's just a lot of scary stuff in the news," said Sheela Ivlev, an occupational therapist.
While Ivlev used to see clients in person, she's now doing Zoom sessions online, both in individual and group settings. To help more people, she’s offering some of her services for free.
State lawmakers have taken notice of the need, recently allowing California licensed counselors to help people virtually no matter where they live.
"So, at this time, I can work with anyone in the U.S.," said Ivlev.
Ivlev is just one among a long list of free resources. Locally, you can reach out to several agencies online or by phone, like the NAMI San Diego helpline, staffed with support specialists.
There are also things you can do on your own if you're feeling anxious or depressed.
1). eating healthy
2). exercise
3). getting enough sleep
4). limiting your consumption of pandemic-related news
5). making a list of things that bring you joy and are easy to do
"When you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you can do just one or two of those things on that list to give yourself a break and feel good in that moment," said Ivlev.
She wants to eliminate the mental health stigma. Robinson, who happens to be her client, agrees, saying it's okay and often necessary to ask for help.
"People can't read your mind," said Robinson. "You have to speak up and not be ashamed."