COVID-19 Mental Health Resources

Speaking

A Normal Response

To start, it’s important to recognize that feeling stressed and anxious is a normal response, and one that is expected during times like this. However, too much anxiety can contribute negatively to your health and well-being. Here to Help has an infosheet with actions you can take to ease the uncertainty.
Nature

Unplug Sometimes

It can help to unplug from social media and the news. While it is important to stay up-to-date using reliable sources, the constant stream of discussion around COVID-19 can be too much at times. Here are some other anxiety coping strategies.

Communication

It’s Okay to Ask for Help

Even though your work is focused on helping others, as front-line workers in our education system, you still need help and support of others as well. This can be difficult when we are required to be socially distanced or isolated; however, using technology such as video messaging can help connect us. The way we connect with family and friends may have changed, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop seeing them all together. Social interactions can be uplifting in these uncertain times. If you need professional help, doctors and mental health professionals are also there to help you make it through. This article from The Conversation has more information on the best way to do that.
Calendar

Your Mental Health Matters

The impact of COVID-19 has placed educators under tremendous stress, which can be draining to your mental health. Remember that you are only human. Be sure to meet your basic needs: eat, sleep, socialize, and take breaks. Check out this article on how to take care of yourself in any way that you need to.

Online Resources

COVID-19 – Managing Stress and Anxiety

by CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg

Talking to children about COVID-19 and its impact

by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic

by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Mental Health During COVID-19

An information sheet from the BCFED Health and Safety Centre originally provided for a webinar on mental health during COVID-19 in June 2020.

Managing the Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 in the Workplace: A Guide for Workers

This guide suggests healthy ways to manage stress and anxiety so you can better take care of yourself, support others, and be more productive at work.

Managing the Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 in the Workplace: A Guide for Employers

This guide explains how the COVID-19 pandemic can have an impact on mental health and suggests ways you can support the mental health of your workers

Coping with Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Anxiety Canada knows you are not the only one struggling with anxiety during these difficult times. These series of town hall videos provide Canadians with effective strategies on dealing with the anxiety caused by COVID-19.

6 Tips to Respond to Employee Anxiety About COVID-19

Meant for employers and managers, this webpage created by the Canadian Mental Health Association contains tips for responding to the feeling of anxiety staff may be having.

COVID-19 and Anxiety

by the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division

7 Science-based Strategies to Cope with Coronavirus Anxiety

In this article hosted on The Conversation, psychologist Jelena Kecmanovic provides science-based methods on dealing with anxiety caused by COVID-19.

Tips for supporting your mental health through the COVID-19 pandemic

Written by BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, this article contains a list of seven tips for maintaining a positive well-being during these difficult times.

Mental Health in the Workplace during COVID-19

This guide suggests healthy ways to manage stress and anxiety so you can better take care of yourself, support others, and be more productive at work.

COVID-19 Anxiety Coping Strategies

Provided by SafeCare BC, this graphic contains a quick guide that can easily be referenced for strategies to cope with the anxiety that may arise from COVID-19.

Covid-19: Tips for managing anxiety

This article written by the Canadian Mental Health Association’s BC Division is a reminder that it is normal to have feelings of anxiety in the situation caused by COVID-19. Rather than let it control your life, the article explains how you can take action to take care of your life.

Peer-to-Peer Discussion Forum

Share your experiences dealing with COVID-19 stress and anxiety and offer and receive mutual support and encouragement with peers. This forum is not a crisis support service. By the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Managing Your Stress

The Province of Manitoba’s COVID-19 website has a page on stress management strategies and provides information on how to measure your stress level. Additionally, it provides methods to relieve and avoid stress for you and your family. To learn more, visit: gov.mb.ca/covid19/bewell/managestress.html

Moral Injury Guide

This guide was developed to better understand the range of moral emotions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resources for Parents/Educators

Talking to children about COVID-19 and its impact

by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic

by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Videos

COVID-19 Fears & Anxieties: For Continuing Care & Frontline Workers

Dr. Joti Samra of MyWorkplaceHealth discusses strategies to deal with fears and anxieties in continuing care.

Enhancing Psychological Health, Wellness and Resilience in the Era of COVID-19

In this webinar, Dr. Joti Samra, registered psychologist, discusses skills and strategies to help individuals improve their psychological health, resiliency and wellness, whether in the context of at home or in the workplace.

One-Pagers

COVID-19 Anxiety Toolbox

A workbook intended to help decrease your anxiety around the COVID-19 outbreak.

Challenging worries and anxious thoughts

by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Blogs

How to Stay Emotionally Healthy During the Coronavirus Outbreak

This article by Psychology Today provides proven techniques for managing stress and anxiety over the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mobile Resources

Text4Hope

This free daily text service was developed by Alberta Health Services to help users gain coping skills during the COVID19 pandemic. Each day you will receive a free message with helpful tips and tricks for improving your coping skills. To join, text COVID19HOPE to 393939