Page 41 - Healthcare News July-August 2020

Coping A
Lauren Favorite, assistant program director at Behavioral Health Network (BHN), said some of her clients are
experiencing an “onset of overwhelm,” and they’re not sure how to manage or cope with it.
and
s people adjust to life in a COVID-19 world, ev- eryone is seeking some kind of “new normal.” For many, this search, and the uncertainty it brings, is a journey filled with stress and anxiety.
Hoping
“There’s an overarching theme of fear and a feeling of being overwhelmed by everything,” she said. With the constant flow of information, increases in COVID-19 infection rates, and concerns about how to keep oneself and others safe, it’s not surprising people are suffering from stress and anxiety.
Sara Kendall, vice president of Clinical Operations for the Mental Health Assoc. (MHA), noted that, when people internalize all these various inputs, many of them scary, it doesn’t take much to trigger an overreaction.
“It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back, where just one
Search for a New Normal Brings Increased Stress and Anxiety
By MARK MORRIS
Sara Kendall says the buildup of all the addi- tional stressors during this unusual year can trigger overreactions — and a need for help.
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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH