Although the Coronavirus has raised concerns about physical health, several area counselors hope that Snyder residents will practice mental health as well.
Therapist Katye Clark with Scurry County Mental Health said that mental health was as important as physical health.
“A general way to get through all this chaos is just to try to live life as normally as we can,” Clark said. “I know there’s a lot of fear and a lot of panic going on right now, and we do want people to be careful with washing hands, personal hygiene and stuff like that. But just try to, as much as you can, do your day-to-day stuff.”
Clark said that she and her co-workers have taken this advice to heart and are doing their best to go on with their day-to-day lives.
“We’re just trying to be as normal as possible,” she said.
Snyder Primary School counselor Lacee Wall stressed taking care of ourselves while we take care of others.
“Everyone responds differently to stressful situations. Some people may have a harder time coping with the stress, especially children and teens, older adults and those taking care of others. It’s very important to be sure that we do things to take care of our physical and mental health,” she said.
Wall is the counselor for pre-K through first grade.
Clark said that ways to maintain a healthy mental state include taking time for yourself, doing things you enjoy inside and outside, keeping in touch with other people so as not to lose connections and keeping church connections for those involved in faith communities.
Snyder Primary School counselor Amy Crist suggested we also focus on matters we can control.
“Because this is a time of high anxiety for many us, focusing on what is actually in our circle of control is important. Things that we can control would be following CDC recommendations, finding ways to get exercise whether that be doing yoga at home, housework, going for a run, or taking a walk are all healthy ways to reduce stress; reduce overexposure to news via social media and television; do things that get you out of your head for a little while like reading a book, doing a craft project, working in the yard, trying a new recipe, organizing the garage.”
Crist, who is the counselor for second and third grade said older children and adults could also benefit from journaling.
“For older children, teens and even adults, consider journaling to record your thoughts and feelings about what you’re experiencing. This will help you manage your emotions as well as give you something to look back on to remember this historic time,” she said.
Parents also play an important role, Crist said.
“For parents, it’s especially important to keep in mind that the calmer we are in our response, the better they will be able to handle what’s happening. Talking to kids about what’s happening is important but the information we give them needs to be age appropriate and most importantly, it needs to be a reassuring message. Parents should also limit children’s exposure to media and news about what’s happening because it’s not always age appropriate. Helping your children understand that we each play an important role in keeping our community as healthy as possible helps give them a sense of purpose. Let them know that people in our government are working hard to help us reduce the spread of the germs that cause this illness, which is why kids are staying home, practicing social distancing and washing our hands a lot,” she said. “Scientists, doctors, and our government are working to help those that might get the virus and we are doing our part by following their recommendations.”
Wall said that parents can access materials from the district for parents to share with their children while the schools are closed.
“We have included resources on our Snyder Primary Website for students and parents that support emotional well being during this state of disaster. More information from our teachers, counselors and other staff members from all of our campuses can be found at www.snyderisd.net,” Wall said. “The CDC website offers great information on mental health and coping tools for everyone, including parents and how they can help their children during this time.”
Clark pointed out that healthy people who haven’t had any exposure to COVID-19 need not quarantine themselves, and can still go out and do the things they enjoy.
She said any steps that can be taken to maintain a sense of normalcy are essential.
“Whatever works. It’s different for everybody,” she said.
One of the most important things, Clark said, is to not completely isolate ourselves from others.
“You know, hang out with family, check on people you love, that kind of thing,” she said. “Human interaction is important in maintaining good mental health, and it doesn’t even have to be in-person. Technology allows us to check in with others without them having to be physically present.”
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