DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The continued spread of COVID-19 across the country is creating stress in our everyday lives. If you’re feeling this stress, anxiety, or depression as a result of the pandemic, you are not alone. Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services is offering tips to cope with those feelings during this difficult time.
Here are some steps they say you can take:
- Practice social distancing and wash your hands.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle including a healthy diet, sleep pattern, and exercise routine.
- Be prepared. Have supplies on hand including your every day, over-the-counter medications. Also, have enough household items and groceries on hand in case you need to stay home for an extended period.
- Get information from a trusted resource such as coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) if you have specific questions.
- Reduce the amount of time that you and your family spend watching or listening to media coverage.
- If you feel overwhelmed, speak to a health care provider or counselor.
- Practice mindfulness and self-care. Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking: consider keeping a journal to write down things you are grateful for or that are going well. Relax your body often by doing things for you – take a deep breath, stretch, meditate, or engage in activities you enjoy.
- Reach out to people you trust to reduce loneliness and isolation by using the phone, email, text, FaceTime and social media to connect with others.
- Do not use alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs to cope
- Find local behavioral health resources by downloading the GetHelpNow App, available on Google Play and the Apple Store.
- If you feel you need assistance, please contact the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board at (937) 443-0416. Their focus is on saving lives, from COVID-19 and addiction.
Below you can find a list of mental health resources:
- Ohio Crisis Text Line
Text keyword “4HOPE” to 741 741 - OhioMHAS Help Line
1-877-275-6364 - Find Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Treatment
https://findtreatment.gov - Disaster Distress Helpline
1-800-985-5990
1-800-846-8517 TTY
Text “TalkWithUs” to 66746
Spanish-speakers: Text “Hablanos” to 66746
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round - Ohio Department of Health Resources
coronavirus.ohio.gov
1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634)
Open 7 days a week from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
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