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  • Our Therapists
  • What We Treat
  • Services
  • About Us
  • Resources
    • Addiction Guide
      • Adderall Guide | Side Effects
      • Alcohol Addiction
      • Benzodiazepines
      • Cocaine Withdrawal
      • Fentanyl Guide | Addiction Treatment
      • Heroin Addiction Guide
      • Meth Guide
      • Online Alcoholics Anonymous
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      • Tramadol Guide | Side Effects | Addiction Treatment
      • Xanax Guide
      • How a Substance Abuse Counselor Helps
      • Spirituality in Addiction Treatment  
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      • How can counseling help depression?
      • Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
    • Bipolar Disorder
      • Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment
      • Is bipolar disorder genetic and triggered later on?
      • Is cognitive therapy effective for bipolar disorder?
    • Children & Adolescents Guide
      • 10 Warning Signs of Teenage Mental Illness
      • Munchausen Syndrome
      • How Does Social Media Affect Teenagers’ Mental Health?
      • Oppositional Defiant Disorder
      • Spotting Types of Depression in Children
      • Teen Suicide
      • Top Tips For Parents
      • Video Game Therapy for ADHD
      • What is a Residential Mental Health Facility for Teenagers Like
      • Why Is Mental Health on the Rise Amongst Teenagers?
    • Is Social Media Ruining Our Self-Esteem? 
    • Mental Health Guide
      • COVID Counseling to Battle Mental Health Issues
      • Guide to Anxiety Medication
      • Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
      • High Functioning Depression | Signs | Symptoms
      • How Can We Prevent Mental Illness in Youth?
      • How Do You Help Someone with Avoidant Personality?
      • How Does Online Counseling Work for Mental Health?
      • How Can a Mental Health Counselor Help
      • Mental Breakdown
      • Schizoid Personality Disorder
      • Postpartum Depression
      • Types of Mood Disorders
      • The Toll of Grief and How to Cope with It
      • What are The Major Affective Disorders?
      • What Cognitive Psychology Teaches Us About How We Think
      • What Is Clinical Mental Health Counseling
      • What are mental health symptoms you should never ignore?
      • What is Bipolar II Disorder? Symptoms and Treatment
      • What is the Difference Between Manic and Hypomanic?
      • What is schizoaffective disorder?
      • Is seasonal affective disorder (SAD) a mental illness?
      • What is substance induced mood disorder?
      • Is Depression a Permanent Mental Disorder?
      • What is the prognosis for Major Depressive Disorder?
    • Marriage Counseling | Benefits
    • Pandemic Related Issues
      • COVID Counseling to Battle Mental Health Issues
      • Work Stress Post-Pandemic
      • Shocking Growth of Anxiety During the Pandemic
    • Relationship Issues
      • How to deal with toxic relationship?
      • How does a toxic relationship affect your mental health?
      • What is gaslighting in a relationship?
      • What is the best way to help a partner who has trust issues?
      • What’s the best way to work out relationship problems?
      • 10 ways to improve communication in relationships
    • Spirituality in Addiction Treatment  
    • Therapy
      • Can I See a Psychiatrist Without a Referral?
      • DBT Therapy for Adolescents
      • DCBT- Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
      • Deep Brain Stimulation to Treat OCD
      • Do I Need a Referral to See a Therapist?
      • Family Therapy: Definition, Types, Techniques, and Efficacy
      • How Can Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) Help Mental Disorders?
      • EMDR Therapy for Mental Health Conditions
      • Psychiatrist vs. Psychologist
      • Is Therapy Covered by Health Insurance?
      • Psychodynamic Therapy vs CBT
      • Psychotherapy
      • SMART Recovery
      • What Can Psychologists Treat
      • What is Group Therapy
      • What is Internal Family Systems Therapy
      • What Is the Role of the Counselor in Family Therapy
      • What Is Psychoanalysis
    • Trauma Bonding With Intimate Partner Violence
    • Teen Mental Health
      • Can a Minor Go to Therapy Without Parents Permission?
      • Teen Co-Occurring Disorders
      • What are the signs of depression in adolescents?
      • warning signs of suicide in adolescents
      • Mental Health Benefits of Exercise in Teens
      • How is the pandemic affecting mental health in teenagers?
    • Types of Disorder
      • Anti-Social Personality Disorder
      • Autism Spectrum Disorder
      • Avoidant Personality Disorder
      • Bipolar Disorder Symptoms | Causes | Diagnosis
      • Diagnosing and Treating an Adjustment Disorder
      • Histrionic Personality Disorder
      • Intermittent Explosive Disorder
      • Paranoid Personality Disorder
    • Veterans Guide
      • Functional Medicine for Military
      • Service Dogs Help Veterans with PTSD
    • Process Addiction
      • Gambling addiction
      • How do you know if you have an addictive personality?
      • What is Impulse-Control Disorder?
      • Process Addiction

COVID COUNSELING TO Battle Mental Health Issues

During the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining a healthy mental state is significant but can be difficult without taking the right steps.

COVID-19 Effects on Mental Health

Over a year into the novel coronavirus pandemic, the effects on society have been drastic. While society and daily life have changed alongside physical health for the many people directly affected by the disease, mental health has also been greatly impacted by COVID-19.  

How Has COVID Impacted Mental Health?

During a time where the future is uncertain, it is normal for fear and anxiety to play a large role. Over time, these emotions and perspectives harm mental health, with isolation because of quarantine only aiding in the manifestation of depression, anxiety, and other conditions.1

These impacts have also been noticed in children, who also have faced trauma, anxiety, and isolation because of the pandemic.2

One of the most notable mental effects of the pandemic is increased stress.3 Whether out of concern for the disease itself, current events associated with the pandemic, or with job or home insecurity, stress levels are rising around the country. While the rise on its own can be concerning, it can also lead to the development of other mental conditions such as depression or anxiety.   

Statistics on Mental Health Issues during COVID

There have been several studies conducted to explore the exact statistics of COVID’s impact on mental health. Occurrences of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and general stress have increased by up to 70%.4 These increases have strongly affected younger generations, especially the female population.

With an increase in mental health issues during the pandemic, more attention has been given to the statistics of substance use disorders as well.   

Have SUD Rates Risen During COVID-19?

Studies have long shown that substance use disorders have the potential to rise during periods of high stress. As a result, research has been dedicated to detecting whether substance use disorder rates have risen during COVID. Substance use disorder rates have risen by approximately 11% throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.5

Types of Counseling

During periods of distress, counseling can be beneficial in managing stress and anxiety. With social distancing regulations, virtual counseling has allowed mental health practices to become more readily available.

Types of counseling include:

  • Rehabilitation counseling
  • Substance abuse counseling
  • Mental health counseling
  • Marriage counseling
  • Grief counseling
  • Family counseling
  • Career counseling

Mental Health Counseling

For those looking to maintain or improve their mental health, counseling can be a beneficial way to talk through existing problems while also learning new coping mechanisms. However, these aren’t the only benefits of mental health counseling. 

Personal Empowerment

Having the skills and knowledge to work through problems in a healthy way can give individuals a new sense of confidence. 

Personal Insight

Understanding the source of concerns and how to prevent or otherwise navigate negative reactions allow for better personal insight.  

Life Skills

Mental health techniques and stress coping skills are valuable life skills that allow individuals to better navigate stressful situations. These skills can extend further than the pandemic to day-to-day life. 

Life Acceptance

Existentialism and life insecurity are common forms of personal distress. By understanding personal thought processes and actions better, individuals will be able to find more contentment in life, especially in external and uncontrollable circumstances.  

Preventing Future Distress

By learning to recognize the beginnings of problems or triggers, individuals prevent future distress even though they may be unable to prevent future distressing situations.   

Counseling VS. Psychotherapy

Both counseling and psychotherapy, when utilized separately or together, can be beneficial in working through and preventing future mental health issues. However, there are differences between them.

The most significant difference is the skillset of a counselor versus a psychotherapist. A psychotherapist will have the skillset to counsel their patient, but vice versa may not be true.

Counseling involves working through a problem, and it can extend beyond the mental health field to include aspects such as spiritual guidance or even financial planning. A counselor offers support to an individual, while sessions are highly self-driven and directed.

Psychotherapy, however, is a long-term treatment prescribed to address problems, behaviors, mental conditions, and thought processes to reach recovery from an issue or condition. Psychotherapy’s focus is on recurrent mental or behavioral issues, and it does not extend into other areas of life like counseling.  

Counseling During COVID-19

During a distressing time, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, elevated feelings of stress and anxiety are expected, but treatment options are available to manage negative feelings during this time.

For individuals unable to access in-person counseling, telehealth services have made mental health techniques more accessible. Through these services, patients can access networks of mental health professionals such as counselors to schedule virtual sessions for online counseling.

Self-guided counseling apps have also become a popular option. These use a professional resource to teach stress-managing techniques, such as breathing exercises. For those unable or uncomfortable with speaking directly to a counselor, apps allow for individuals to seek online counseling from the comfort of their homes.   

Other Ways to Treat Mental Health

Body Self-Care

Mental health can stem from the body’s overall health and wellbeing, so taking care of physical needs is an important part of positive mental health.
  • Good Hygiene Maintaining good hygiene is a significant step in improving mental health. The body feels better when it is clean. The act of washing and cleaning can be relaxing, especially when extra steps are taken to turn it into a self-care experience.Hygiene is also important for the body’s overall health. From skin to teeth to internal health, hygiene is important in preventing infections and other illnesses.
  • Fitness Exercise is beneficial not only for physical health but also for mental health. Regular physical activity can aid in the body’s production of “feel-good” chemicals, such as dopamine.
  • Positive Eating Habits Eating a balanced diet that meets the body’s nutritional needs and keeps every aspect of the body, including the mind, working correctly. Good eating habits also prevent a variety of physical and mental illnesses.
  • Regulated Sleep ScheduleLack of sleep can lead to distressing mental conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Maintaining a good sleep schedule that fits individual needs is a positive step in the direction of a healthy mental state.

Mind Self-Care

Taking care of the mind is also important in promoting positive mental health.
  • Limit Media ExposureWhile keeping up with the daily news can be important, especially as the media is focused on navigating through the COVID pandemic, too much media exposure can be unhealthy. The constant exposure to distressing news can lead to symptoms that mimic those of trauma, and so it is critical to limit the amount of daily media exposure to promote a healthy mental state.
  • Focus on Positive Thoughts Positive thoughts can help alleviate anxiety throughout the day while also healthily redirecting energy.
  • Set Priorities and Goals Taking the time to set priorities and goals can create order while also providing the opportunity for positive reinforcement and rewards, which can be beneficial in mental health. Setting priorities and goals can also aid the establishment of a routine.
  • Maintain a Routine During the novel coronavirus pandemic, many people have become displaced from their routines. With life shifting to a virtual setting, in which professional, academic, and even personal tasks and interactions are no longer the same, maintaining a steady routine can be difficult. However, the body and mind thrive off of routine and predictability. Establishing a routine can be a fundamental step in improving mental health.

Resources

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7262128/
  2. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(20)30096-1/fulltext?luicode=10000011&lfid=1076036655475536&u=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(20)30096-1/fulltext
  3. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-22291-029
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7413844/
  5. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/03/substance-use-pandemic

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