Real Talk: Mental Health By Shari Finney, Regional Clinic Director, The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) www.vvsd.net/cohenclinicsandiego
2022 The Current State of Mental Health What is our nation’s current mental health issue? There isn’t an easy answer to this question. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization, inflation and more has manifested itself differently in everyone, but make no mistake, it takes a toll. In clinical language, it presents primarily as depression and generalized anxiety. Symptoms like sadness, sluggishness, irritability, anxiety, and a feeling of being overwhelmed and “stressed out” are all feelings many of us have experienced over the last year. In general, many thought that the vaccine for COVID-19 was going to make this year better, and that perhaps life might get back to more like it was. But, because that is not the case, there is now a corresponding sense of fear and frustration, as well as the anxiety that comes from not knowing what might be coming next. The sense of “impending doom” weighs on our communities. Military families are feeling the strain of added uncertainties to already unpredictable circumstances. As frequent newcomers to a community, they find it difficult to plug in to local resources because their usual methods of connecting with the community are limited due to COVID-19 concerns and restrictions. This can increase isolation and depressive or anxious symptoms. 22
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Let’s not forget about mental health providers, who are living through the exact challenges faced by their clients. Much like an oncologist with cancer, mental health workers are not only living with the same uncertainty and risks of their clients, but they are also dealing with a sharp uptake in people seeking services who are in crisis. Yet and still, they provide a muchneeded service to a large population of people being impacted by the pandemic. We’re all in this together. Although it may seem like there is nowhere to turn, there are actually many ways to cope with today’s mental challenges. Here are some recommendations: • Find tools online. To support veteran and military families in this challenging time, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN), with assistance from Blue Star Families, created an educational course: “Tools for Managing Stress and Worry.” This free course consists of brief, easy-to-use strategies to help military families reduce stress and worry in their lives. Learn more: www.cohenveteransnetwork.org/toolsforstress • Download an app! There are many to choose from, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ COVID Coach. Other apps, like Calm, are also a great mental health resource. • Set a routine. As many people are back to or still working from home, a routine can be helpful in keeping yourself organized and on a schedule that works best for you. That is one thing you can rely on while things around you may be out of your control. • Watch how you talk to yourself. Anxious and hopeless thoughts can happen but try to replace them with the opposite directly after you think it. Be kind to yourself. • Get outside and away from a screen. Staying in front of your computer screen or your television screen can be tough on your eyes and your overall wellbeing. Try to take a break every 2-3 hours and get some fresh air.
