Local officials underline importance of staying mentally healthy during coronavirus outbreak

Local officials underline importance of staying mentally healthy during coronavirus outbreak

RECOVERYSERVICES CRISIS LINE USUALLYGETS AROUND 100 CALLS A DAY.

BUTLATELY THEY'RE GETTING MORE."40 TO 50 MORE A DAY JUST ONCOVID-19 ON OUR HOTLINE."THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS HAVE BEENCHALLENGING --WITH OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLEFILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INCALIFORNIA -- MOST LIVEENTERTAINMENT PUT ON HALT --AND EVERYONE TOLD TO STAYINSIDE."IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THE MORETIME YOU SPEND COOPED UP, THEMORE THATWORKS ON YOU MENTALLY ANDPHYSICALLY."THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK ISTAKING A TOLL ON MANY OF US,WHETHER YOU WANT TO ADMIT IT ORNOT.

BUT THEDIRECTOR OF KERN BEHAVIORALHEALTH BILL WALKER, SAYSIT'S PROBABLY BETTER TO ADMITTHAT."THE EASIEST WAY TO GET HEALTHYIF YOU'RE SICK IS TO SEE ADOCTOR AND DEALWITH IT, NOT IGNORE IT.

THEEASIEST WAY TO GET HEALTHYEMOTIONALLY IS TOACKNOWLEDGE AND FEEL IT AND DEALWITH IT AND NOT TRY TO IGNOREIT."WALKER SAYS THEIR HOTLINE ISEQUIPPED FOR PEOPLE IN MENTALCRISIS, BUT IT ALSO ACTS AS WHATTHEY CALL A "WARM LINE,"WHICH IS BUILT FOR PEOPLE WHOJUST NEED TO TALK."I DON'T WANT TO SAY THIS TO MYFRIENDS, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT TOSOMEBODY, SOSOMEBODY'S HEARING ME.

THAT'S AGREAT TIME TO CALL A HOTLINE ORA WARM LINE."SOME THINGS THAT CAN DO WELL FORYOUR MENTAL HEALTHDURING THE CRISIS, WALKER SAYS,ARE KEEPING UP WITHFRIENDS AND FAMILY THROUGHFACETIME, DOING ATLEAST A LITTLEBIT OF HOME EXCERCISE, ANDINCORPORATING THOSE THINGSINTO A ROUTINE FOR YOUR DAY ATHOME."DONT ABSORB YOURSEF ONLY INTOTHE CRISIS, IF ALL YOUR DOING ISCHECKING THE NEWS FEEDS ON THECRI