Support

If you are experiencing high levels of anxiety during these uncertain times, that is normal. Your body sends you information to alert you whenever it senses a threat. Know that you are processing your anxiety in healthy ways when you’re able to stay relaxed and make rational decisions without feeling overwhelmed or withdrawing. Anxiety can push us to take care of ourselves, but too much anxiety can become problematic. Below are some resources to help you manage your anxiety and stress levels. We’ve also included some information about how to determine when it might be time to ask a counsellor or pastor for help.

Create a routine. Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. If you’re working from home, establish a start time and an end time. This can help create a sense of normalcy and predictability.

Stay connected to others. Use technology to stay connected to friends, family, and co-workers by calling, texting, emailing, and videoing with one another. Connect with people who will be present, compassionate, and good listeners.

Stay connected to your community. Actively seek ways to stay plugged in. Use technology to watch church services online. Support local businesses by buying gift cards for a later date or buying lunch for those on the front lines. Volunteer your time to help your local schools or nonprofits distribute food and essentials to your community.

Take care of your body. Do things that help you feel better and relieve stress. Eat healthy foods, get plenty of rest, practice stretching and breathing exercises, and move your body daily (e.g., yoga, walking, dancing).

Access reliable media resources in small doses. Stay in-formed, but limit the amount of time you check the news to once or twice a day to prevent yourself from getting over-whelmed.

Limit addictive behaviours. Distracting yourself and finding ways to seek relief from what’s going on around you is normal. However, pay attention to how much time you’re spending on television and social media. Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake.

Often we are able to navigate life’s challenges by ourselves or with help from family and friends. However, there are times when we need to get help from a doctor or counsellor.

Here are a few indicators that it might be time to seek professional help:

1. Struggle is preventing you from functioning in a healthy way or is significantly impacting your quality of life.

2. It’s difficult to resolve an issue through your own ways of coping.

3. Your current coping mechanisms (e.g., overuse of alcohol or drugs) are potentially destructive.

4. You are overwhelmed to the point where negative emotions are dominating the way you feel.

5. You are feeling hopeless and/or losing interest in things that used to bring you joy.

6. Negative thoughts are preventing you from thinking clearly and making healthy decisions.

7. You’re experiencing heightened social conflict or a desire for increased social withdrawal that is difficult to control.

Note that thoughts of self-harm or the desire to harm others require immediate attention, including telling family and friends that care about you and contacting the mental health hotline at 1-877-303-2642 . If you feel like you are in immediate danger or are a danger to others, seek medical attention by dialing 911.For those of you with existing emotional health conditions: Please be aware of your symptoms, and keep in touch with your mental health professionals to stay on track. If you would like to speak with our Compassion and Care team please email us.

CAMH: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Can-ada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres in its field. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.

Alberta Health Services: Alberta Health Services has an extensive list of mental health resources and coping with Covid-19 on their website.