ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – May is Mental Health Awareness Month and coping with mental illness can be challenging, especially during this pandemic.
One area mental health director offers tips on how you can cope.
SwedishAmerican’s Center for Mental Health is seeing depression and anxiety rates increase due to isolation and the unknown outlook of the pandemic. Director Katie Mistler recommends exercise, meditate, do yoga or even just color to help cope with those anxieties.
“I think being able to socialize though does help. Human contact is very valuable, I think this pandemic has really brought that forward for all of us. We’ve been very innovative. I will say with using virtual, it’s not the same as a human touch,” Mistler said.
Mistler emphasized that you are never alone. Someone out there will listen to you. She said it’s important to reach out to a psychiatrist or therapist as soon as possible so they can provide you with helpful resources.
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