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Black Health Facts

Black Health FactsBlack Health FactsBlack Health Facts

CULTURALLY RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM FOLKS YOU CAN TRUST

CULTURALLY RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM FOLKS YOU CAN TRUSTCULTURALLY RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM FOLKS YOU CAN TRUST

MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION & RESOURCES

coping with stress

coping with stress

coping with stress

Coping with Stress


Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress


The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on our lives. Many of us are facing challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing, are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but they can make us feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. 


Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient.


Stress can cause the following:

  • Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
  • Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
  • Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Worsening of mental health conditions
  • Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances

HELPING OTHERS COPE

coping with stress

coping with stress

Helping Others Cope


Helping Others Cope 


It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic. 


Taking care of yourself can better equip you to take care of others. 


During times of social distancing, it is especially important to stay connected with your friends and family. 


Helping others cope with stress through phone calls or video chats can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely or isolated. 

crisis intervention

coping with stress

healthy ways to cope with stress

 Mental Health Crisis Resources and                        

           Social Support Services


 Mental Health and Crisis 


If you are struggling to cope, there are many ways to get help. Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.  
During times of extreme stress, people may have thoughts of suicide. 


Suicide is preventable and help is available. More about the risk of suicide, signs to watch for, and how to respond if you notice these signs in yourself or a friend or a loved one, can be found here.


Free and confidential crisis resources can also help you or a loved one connect with a skilled, trained counselor in your area.    

healthy ways to cope with stress

RESOURCES & SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

healthy ways to cope with stress

 

  • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, tv, and computer screens for a while.
  • Take care of your body.
    • Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditateexternal icon.
    • Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
    • Exercise regularly.
    • Get plenty of sleep.
    • Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.
    • Continue with routine preventive measures (such as vaccinations, cancer screenings, etc.) as recommended by your healthcare provider.
    • Get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine when available.
  • Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
  • Connect with others. Talk with people external icon you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
  • Connect with your community- or faith-based organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.

RESOURCES & SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

RESOURCES & SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

RESOURCES & SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

Managing Stress During Covid-19 Pandemic


https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html


MENTAL  HEALTH SCREENING TOOL 


https://med.stanford.edu/fastlab/research/imapp/msrs/_jcr_content/main/accordion/accordion_content3/download_256324296/file.res/PHQ9%20id%20date%2008.03.pdf 


AFRICAN AMERICAN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS:


https://nami.org/About-NAMI/NAMI-News/2020/NAMI-s-Statement-On-Recent-Racist-Incidents-and-Mental-Health-Resources-for-African-Americans?gclid=Cj0KCQjwl9GCBhDvARIsAFunhsk_8TTq0wgBZiyyF0sO0DT6YuZeymJpb2MANqXBZCEbkWpLvGkMV2UaAkoeEALw_wcB 

crisis SUPPORT SERVICES

RESOURCES & SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

RESOURCES & SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES

 If you are in crisis, get immediate help:

  • Call 911
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifelineexternal icon: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for English, 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish, or Lifeline Crisis Chatexternal icon.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotlinexternal icone: 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
  • National Child Abuse Hotlineexternal icon: 1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453
  • National Sexual Assault Hotlineexternal icon: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or Online Chat external icon
  • Veteran’s Crisis Lineexternal icon: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Crisis Chatexternal icon or text: 8388255
  • Disaster Distress Helplineexternal icon: CALL or TEXT 1-800-985-5990 (press 2 for Spanish).
  • The Eldercare Locatorexternal icon: 1-800-677-1116 – TTY Instructionsexternal icon 

self care activities

WHY SELF CARE?

When we’re stressed, self-care is often the first thing to go. Why is this? 


#1. Our brains go into fight-or-flight mode and our perspective narrows. We don’t see we have options—options for coping with stress and making ourselves feel better.


#2. We’re so busy trying to solve problems that we’re stuck in “doing mode”—trying to get more and more done—when switching to “being mode” may be just the break we need.


#3. We may not have a “go-to” list of self-care activities. 


Self-care has to become a habit so that when we’re dealing with stress, we remember that, “Hey, I need to take care of myself in this situation.” 


And, you need a variety of activities to try—if one doesn’t work, you can switch to another.Fortunately, there are several pathways to self-care, and none of them need to be difficult or take a lot of planning.  

7 Self care commitments

sensory

MENTaL/MIND MASTERY

pleasure

When you feel stressed and need a calm mind, try focusing on the sensations around you—sights, smells, sounds, tastes, touch. 


This will help you focus on the present moment, giving you a break from your worries.· 

Breathe in fresh air.· Snuggle under a cozy blanket.· Listen to running water.· Sit outdoors by a fire pit, watching the flames and listening to the night sounds.· Take a hot shower or a warm bath.· Get a massage.· Cuddle with a pet.· Pay attention to your breathing.· Burn a scented candle.· Wiggle your bare feet in overgrown grass.· Stare up at the sky.· Lie down where the afternoon sun streams in a window.· Listen to music. 

pleasure

MENTaL/MIND MASTERY

pleasure

 A great way to take care of yourself when you’re coping with stress is to engage in a pleasurable activity. 


Try one of these ideas:

Take yourself out to eat.

Be a tourist in your own city.

Garden.  

Watch a movie.

Make art. 

Do a craft project.

Journal.

Walk your dogs.· 

Go for a photo walk. 

MENTaL/MIND MASTERY

MENTaL/MIND MASTERY

MENTaL/MIND MASTERY

 You can also give yourself a boost by doing a task that you’ve been avoiding or challenging your brain in a novel way. This can also boost self-confidence. 


Clean out a junk drawer or a closet

Take action (one small step) on something you’ve been avoiding 

Try a new activity 

Drive to a new place 

Make a list of activities you would like to do

Immerse yourself in a crossword puzzle.· 

Do a word search 

Read something on a topic you wouldn’t normally 

EMOTIONAL

EMOTIONAL

MENTaL/MIND MASTERY

Dealing with our emotions can be challenging when we’re coping with stress. We tend to label emotions as “good” or “bad,” but this isn’t helpful. 


Instead:· 


Cry when you need to.  Laugh when you can. Try laughter yoga

Practice self-compassion 

Accept your feelings. They’re all OK. Really.· Write your feelings down 

Here’s a list of feeling words

.https://betterlovemovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/List-of-Feeling-Words.pdf


SPIRITUAL

EMOTIONAL

SPIRITUAL

Getting in touch with your values—what really matters—is a sure way to cope with stress and foster a calm mind. Activities that people define as spiritual are very personal.


 Here are a few ideas.


 Attend church 

Read poetry or inspiring quotes. 

Light a candle 

Meditate. 

Write in a journal

Spend time in nature

Pray 

List five things you’re grateful for

PHYSICAL

EMOTIONAL

SPIRITUAL

Coping with stress by engaging the body is great because you can bypass a lot of unhelpful mental chatter. 


It’s hard to feel stressed when you’re doing one of the following self-care activities. 


Try yoga 

Go for a walk or a run

 Dance

Stretch

Go for a bike ride 

Don’t skip sleep to get things done 

Take a nap

SOCIal

SOCIal

SOCIal

Connecting with others is an important part of self-care. 


This can mean activities such as:· 


Go on a lunch date with a good friend

 Calling a friend on the phone

Participating in a book club

Joining a support group

.It can also mean remembering that others go through similar experiences and difficulties as we do.  


We’re not alone.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shyness-is-nice/201403/seven-types-self-care-activities-coping-stress 

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