CHICAGO -- It's been nearly two years since the start of the COVID pandemic. Since then, more than 815,000 Americans have died.
There is currently a surge in cases and hospitalizations. And some of those"normal" gatherings that had returned -- such as live theater and sporting events -- are now in limbo as health officials try to address the spread of the omicron variant.
"Many of us are hyper-vigilant or anxious in a way we've never experienced before, feeling hopeless. So is this our new normal of the world? Maybe. But it doesn't have to be our new normal in terms of our mental health," said James. She said when people call the NAMI helpline, they ask,"Who's around you that does make you feel reenergized? Or, who is a good listener in your space? What are small things you do throughout the day that kind of make you feel more energized? And it can be dosing of like five minutes at a time. If we can build those into our days more regularly that's helpful."
RELATED: Chicago's Coffee, Hip Hop & Mental Health helps people access therapy, no matter their circumstance"I think before the pandemic we were seeing a rise in rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal attempts in children and self-harm behaviors, and with the pandemic, those statistics have increased a number-fold," said Dr. Trang Pham-Smith, a pediatric trauma psychologist at Advocate Children's Hospital.
I have never taken a 'mental health day' because I'm not soft.
What about staff and teachers?
Health Health Latest News, Health Health Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »
Source: CBSLA - 🏆 552. / 51 Read more »
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »