As crisis hotlines are inundated with calls from an anxious public, those who pick up the phones are dealing with the same fears and disruptions to their own lives.
Didi Hirsch had an emergency preparedness plan to route calls outside of the Los Angeles suicide prevention office that houses its crisis call center, should an earthquake or other disaster hit. But the plan involved sending calls to their other sites — not to crisis counselors at home. After a frenzied two weeks, the online chat program has been made accessible remotely, and by next week, all calls to crisis lines should be ported outside the call center for counselors to answer remotely.
In the last two weeks, more than 50 percent of the calls to the crisis hotline have been about the coronavirus, with an uptick in calls about financial problems, alcohol use and thoughts of suicide compared to the preceding two weeks, Walsh said. “I’m human and I have those fears, so it’s telling them, ‘You’re not alone. It makes complete sense to be afraid of the unknown,’” Schaller, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, said. “We all feel it — not to diminish theirs, but reassuring them that they’re not alone in these fears.”But there have been obstacles.
Garfin, who is doing a study on the psychological effects of the COVID-19 quarantines, also recommended not getting bombarded with news.“You don’t want to not know what’s going on, but there’s a difference between checking the news once or twice, and having the TV on in the background all day,” she said.Despite the difficulties counselors are dealing with themselves, all the crisis hotlines encouraged anyone feeling overwhelmed to reach out at any time.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
IMF Warns Coronavirus Will Hurt Global Economy ‘Way Worse’ Than 2008 Financial CrisisDuring a World Health Organization press conference today, Kristalina Georgieva, director of the International Monetary Fund, warned the economic fallout from coronavirus is already “way worse than the global financial crisis of 2008” by skleb1234
Read more »
Coronavirus: Yahoo answers your questionsYahoo medical contributor Dr. Kavita Patel will answer readers’ questions about the coronavirus.
Read more »
It's Okay to Grieve the Small Stuff'As our lives are torn apart, rendered unrecognizable by social isolation and COVID19 cancellations, it's only human to mourn the life you thought you'd have.' –brittneymac15
Read more »
Coronavirus: ‘It’s just anxiety, anxiety, anxiety’The coronavirus crisis is having a huge impact on young people with existing mentalhealth conditions.
Read more »
Bustle Digital Group Lays Off Two Dozen Staffers, Shutters The OutlineAn increasing number of media companies are having to make cuts amid the coronavirus crisis.
Read more »
These stocks, including Amazon and Hasbro, can weather the pandemic, analysts sayNew for subscribers: These stocks, including Amazon and Hasbro, can weather the pandemic, analysts say Check out CNBCPro and get your first 30 days free.
Read more »