Identifying and Managing Stress
Are you feeling angry? Are you writing angry emails or speaking to loved ones in anger? There are ways to express yourself in ways that hurt less and don’t hurt others. We need to take care of ourselves and those we love. Here are some resources to help you and your loved ones.
While we take action to lessen the impacts of COVID-19 on our communities and our health care systems, it is also important to minimize the secondary health effects of this pandemic. Widespread stress and anxiety regarding COVID-19, compounded by the economic distress due to lost wages, employment and financial assets, mass school closures and necessary physical distancing measures can result in an increase of stress-related health conditions.
The California Surgeon General has a simple guide with things you can do every day, at home, to help support your mental and physical health, utilizing six key strategies:
- Supportive relationships: Maintain supportive relationships wherever you can, including virtually.
- Exercise: Engage in 60 minutes of physical activity every day, if you can. It doesn’t have to be all at one time.
- Sleep: Get sufficient, high-quality sleep. This may be particularly hard right now, but going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day can help.
- Nutrition: Ensure you are getting proper nutrition to help combat stress.
- Mental health support: Resources available here.
- Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness in whatever way works best for you. This could be things like meditation, yoga, or prayer for 20 minutes, two times a day.
Learn more in the California Surgeon General’s Playbook: Stress Relief during COVID-19. (PDF). The guide is also available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Navigating Stress Management with Kids
Even for adults, it can be tough to recognize that what we feel as irritability, difficulty focusing, insomnia or changes in appetite can actually be signs that our bodies are feeling the effects of stress. For kids, no matter the age, their brains and bodies are even more vulnerable to the harmful effects of stress than adults, and most often, they aren’t able recognize or verbalize it. Stress in kids may show up differently than stress in adults does. The stress relief playbook can help you understand what to look out for and what you can do to protect your family’s health. Included in this guide:
- Keeping an eye out for stress in kids.
- Planning tools to reduce stress for kids.
- Strategies for stress reduction.
Learn more in the California Surgeon General’s Playbook: Stress Relief for Caregivers and Kids during COVID-19. (PDF). The guide is also available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
If you are feeling anxious, depressed, or frustrated with the news surrounding COVID-19, there are several ways mental health professionals recommend for coping with stress and supporting yourself:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
- Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. While physical distancing is in place, you can call, email, text message or use social media to connect with your friends and family.
If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call:
- Los Angeles County’s Department of Mental Health’s 24/7 hotline at 800-854-7771 or text “LA” to 741741.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517).
If you are feeling suicidal or having suicidal ideations, call 911 immediately.
FOR 24/7 HELP, PLEASE CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS LINE AT (800) 854-7771
The ACCESS line serves as the primary entry point for mental health services with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. Services provided by ACCESS line staff include:
- Mental health screening and assessment
- Referral to a service provider
- Crisis counseling
- Mobilizing field response teams
- Linkages to other resources
Additional help lines and resources:
- Crisis Text Line: Text LA to 741741
Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free crisis support via text message. - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline connects you with a crisis center closest to your location. Your call will be answered confidentially by a trained crisis worker who will listen empathetically, work to ensure that you feel safe, and help identify options and information about mental health services in your area. - Disaster Distress Helpline: (800) 985-5990
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline provides crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. - Trevor Project Lifeline: (800) 788-7386
The TrevorLifeline provides support to LGBTQ youths and allies in crisis or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk. - Substance Abuse Service Helpline: (844) 804-7500
Operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, this hotline provides screening, resources and service referrals regarding substance use disorders. - 211 LA County: Dial 2-1-1 within Los Angeles County
211 LA County is the hub for all types of health, human and social services in Los Angeles County, providing callers with information and referrals to the services that best meet their needs. - Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP)
Operated by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), LA-HOP is designed to assist people experiencing homelessness by dispatching homeless outreach teams throughout Los Angeles County. - 2019-2020 LAHSA Winter Shelter Program (English / Spanish)
- L.A. Found: (833) 569-7651 or LAFound@wdacs.lacounty.gov
L.A. Found is a countywide initiative to help locate individuals who wander due to dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism or other cognitive impairing conditions. Watch this video to learn more about L.A. Found.
Sincerely,
Steven C. Bradford
CA State Senator, SD 35
