Mental Health Resources for Those Impacted by Social and Physical Distancing 

At this point you’ve heard of the term “social distancing” to combat the spread of COVID-19. But for many individuals across the National Capital Region living with anxiety or depression, stuck in domestically abusive households, or isolated by themselves, social distancing can be a strain on mental health. With most services closed, finding alternatives to maintain a healthy state of mind may need a little adjustment. Luckily, there’s a lot of resources out there to assist you in keeping your mental health in check during this unprecedented time. 

Finding Therapy Online:

Facebook might not be your go to place when it comes to clearing your headspace, but therapists across Facebook are joining together to lead support groups. If you find yourself needing to talk to someone or relate to someone within a community, check out the support page dedicated to providing free public therapy for Coronavirus centric anxiety. 

Alternatively, you can check out the mobile app Talkspace. Though there’s a cost associated with using all the features on Talkspace, they’re taking anyone’s questions through their Instagram page and helping connect individuals with advice or services to help them. 

Call A Hotline:

There are several call services available around the clock if you find yourself wanting to connect with a professional. Samaritan is a free call service that is available to discuss anything you may be going through. The CDC also recommends calling the Disaster Distress hotline for anyone struggling with pre-existing mental health complications or substance abuse issues. The Disaster Distress hotline is also available by texting TalkWithUs to 1-800-846-8517.

For those seeking a directory of Mental Health resources and organizations providing services around mental health, please call 211. 211 is a free and confidential helpline that assists you in accessing local community based and government programs. You can call 211 for basic human needs, disaster response, health and wellness, employment support and much more.

Picking Up A New Skill or Hobby:

Since social distancing became the new norm, colleges, businesses and celebrities are flooding the internet with free classes, concerts and performances to help you pre-occupy your time. Collective Care Sharing is a live and ongoing google doc index with links to free health, movement and wellness classes you can take across social media or online. Classes are free, open to the public and adhere strictly to the listed schedule.

Khan Academy has released an entire scheduled routine that students K-12 can follow with courses and materials to match, all for free. Scholastic is offering courses every day for children Pre-K through High School that families or teachers can use with their students. Additionally, Planet Fitness and CorePower Yoga are also offering free workout classes online for public use. 

If you are looking for a way you can help your community during this period of distress, donation’s towards United Way NCA’s Emergency Assistance Fund go a long way in bringing critical resources such as economic assistance, food and basic necessities to those who need it most. For a directory of local resources please call 2-1-1.