COVID-19: Resources for psychological well-being

The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) may be stressful for people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. The emotional impact of an emergency on a person can depend on their experiences, social and economic circumstances and the availability of local resources. People can become more distressed if they see repeated images or hear repeated reports about the outbreak in the media.

People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:

• People who have preexisting mental health conditions including substance use;
• People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors, nurses, health care providers and first responders;
• Children.

Reactions during an infectious disease outbreak can include:

• Fear and worry about your own health status and that of your loved ones who may have been exposed to COVID-19;
• Changes in sleep or eating patterns;
• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating;
• Worsening of chronic health problems;
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

In light of the potential impacts on psychological well-being, we've put together some resources below which you may find helpful at this time: