HI there, I am so sorry you hit the COVID-19 wall. Maybe it happened early on when you first realized your health, work, child’s school, business or basic survival piece had been threatened. Maybe things initially seemed manageable and you were less impacted than your friends or neighbors, but now it feels most people around the country are feeling quite strongly the impacts of this really crummy outbreak. We have been scared, heartbroken, and lonely and it is incredibly tough.
Are you feeling down? It’s understandable. Let’s brainstorm a few small ideas to feel better: First, my friends here who may be feeling hopeless in a way that they may hurt themselves, please please call someone you trust or the the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255
I am terribly sorry you are feeling terrible and I want you to call now to start feeling a tiny bit better.
If you are feeling emotionally impacted by COVID-19 in general call 1-800-985-5990, or text the Disaster Distress Helpline TalkWithUs to 66746
if you need help brainstorming how to connect with local resources dial 211.
If you are worried about the children in your life, please see a few of the articles in the kids section and resources section of this website. If you can’t plan ahead at all and are feeling overwhelmed, maybe you can take this mom’s humble advice and do “minimal parenting”. When my children were little and things were not going well, their preschool teacher Sierra reminded me that if I am in a terrible state, I have no business trying to teach my kid anything. If things go bad I try to go back to basics and provide love, hugs (air hugs if need be), food, clothing, and shelter. This is not the time to try to teach any lessons or set big goals. YOU, just YOU, being near them is enough. Don’t aim high just keep them close.
That reminds me, if food is your concern, please contact the local food bank and see how they can help you. With more money freed up for essentials hopefully things will seem a bit less difficult. If you are reading this and have the ability to donate to your local food bank please consider doing so. Many food banks have the ability to mobilize large amounts of food to large amounts of people and record numbers of families and individuals are leaning on these important resourcees.
Lastly, I am with you 100%, sometimes it IS hard to get out of bed and get started with the day but please know you are in good company and know that at least one person is here thinking of you.