The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on people’s mental health. The tremendous disruptions to normal life and worries about catching the virus or spreading it to compromised loved ones are stress-inducing.
The mental health impact can be especially hard on individuals who live with mental illness. One in five adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness in a given year, and the rate is 1 in 6 for children, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The nation’s growing population of seniors — about 10,000 people a day turn 65 — are at risk not only for more serious physical effects of the virus, but of isolation. Already, nearly a third of seniors live alone.
“Stress can be managed, and we all can play a role in supporting those who feel isolated in our communities,” said Michelle Borden, chief operating officer of NewBridge Services. NewBridge is a community nonprofit that provides mental health care and other services in Morris, Sussex and Passaic counties.
The following are typical indicators of stress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
If you feel overcome by depression, anxiety, addiction, or other issues, contact your doctor and/or counselor. You can call NewBridge Services at 973-316-9333. NewBridge continues to hold sessions with clients over the phone rather than in person.
If you suspect someone is having suicidal thoughts, talk to them. The National Institute of Mental Health recommends these five action steps:
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1–800–273–TALK (8255), or New Jersey’s round-the-clock suicide prevention hotline at NJ HOPELINE, 1-855-654-6735. Crisis chat is accessible through the website.
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About NewBridge
NewBridge Services, a 501c(3) nonprofit, is a leading provider of counseling services, housing and educational programs in northern New Jersey serving nearly 8,000 adults and seniors last year alone. NewBridge treats mental illnesses and addictions; teaches skills for coping with stress, grief and challenging relationships; helps children who have been abused and neglected — and their families — heal; builds and manages affordable housing; offers school-based programs that teach children and adolescents resiliency skills for healthy emotional development; helps young adults succeed in their education and prepare for careers; and supports seniors so they can remain independent. Throughout its 57-year history, NewBridge has remained true to its mission of bringing balance to people’s lives by tracking shifts in communities’ needs and providing innovative, effective programs to meet them.