BEST PRACTICE
Dr. Vintee Narang a psychiatrist at Community Health Centers in Forest City, earned a medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Miramar, Florida. She completed her residency at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-University Hospital and her fellowship at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. The behavioral health team at the Community Health Centers is available at 407-905-8827.
The American
THE AMERICAN Psychiatric PSYCHIATRIC Association ASSOCIATION recommends RECOMMENDS these resources: THESE RESOURCES:
DISASTER DISTRESS HELPLINE Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE Call 1-800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline
CRISIS TEXTLINE Text TALK to 741741
50 | JULY/AUGUST 2020 | i4Biz.com
Mental Health COVID-19: FINDING CALM AMID THE CHAOS As a community, we are under a great deal of pressure these days. Life outside of work has become increasingly stressful, and we often find ourselves worrying about the well-being of our loved ones as well as our own personal safety. Being flooded with news updates on our cell phones, computers and televisions compounds this pressure and increases our daily stress levels. We’ve all been affected by this viral pandemic in some way, and we are being asked to make sacrifices in our daily lives for the greater good of society. During these difficult and uncertain times, it is very important that we take good care of our mental health to
ensure we’ll be able to continue to give the best of ourselves to the people who need us. Anxiety comes from a lack of control of a situation or fear of the unknown. The world of is full of this uncertainty right now. However, we can keep our anxiety levels down by adopting some simple coping strategies, which will help to modify cognitive distortions and help prevent us from adopting a catastrophic thought process. To help mitigate the unknown, one can gather information regarding the current situation and how best to stay prepared and remain calm. It is advised to pick one
reliable source of information, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov or the World Health Organization at www.who.int, rather than peruse various sites or sources. Also, it is best not to stay glued to the news coverage throughout the day. Instead, set reasonable limits on the total amount of time spent viewing the news — whether that is on television or on the internet. Without setting limits for ourselves and the loved ones in our care, we run the risk of creating a negative mindset. On a similar note, limit social media updates and mobile reminders regarding
