Remember, it’s ok to not be ok. Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worry can be tough to contain, especially if your usual coping skills are being affected by this virus. And taking care of your mental health is just as important now even when the focus is on specific physical symptoms of COVID-19.

Here are a few different strategies and tools that can help you alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that you are feeling:

Stay informed:

Insufficient and/or contradictory information may aggravate the reactions:

• Use reliable sources of information such as the Government of Québec COVID-19 Information Website.
• Be wary of sensationalist news reports from little known or dubious sources. Take the time to confirm such information with officially recognized sources.
• While it is important to stay adequately informed, limit the time taken to seek information about COVID-19 and its consequences. Information overload can aggravate your reaction to stress, anxiety and depression.

Take care of yourself:

• Be attentive to your feelings, emotions and reactions and allow yourself to voice them to someone you trust. Write them down or express them through physical or other types of activity.
• Make use of physical activity to let the stress out and eliminate tension.
• Practice healthy living habits like proper nutrition and sufficient sleep.
• Limit your access to stressors.
• Allow yourself life’s little pleasures such as listening to music, taking a warm bath, reading, etc.
• Remain in contact with people that do you good.
• Remind yourself of winning strategies you used in the past to get through difficult times.
• Count on your own strengths.
• Set limits for yourself, such as refusing a task that you do not want to do and that is non-essential.
• Learn to delegate and let others help you (this might be asking your children to do the dishes).

Find more information and strategies on the Government of Québec’s Stress, Anxiety and Depression Associated With the Coronavirus COVID-19 Disease

Government Help-Lines And Information Resources: