Coronavirus COVID-19 Resources and Information
We recognize that worries about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and new rules for social distancing affect everyone.
According to a recent survey by the American Psychiatric Association, one-third of Americans say the pandemic has a “serious impact” on their mental health. This impact is most strongly felt by people already living with depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.
On April 12, The Wall Street Journal reported that the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Crisis Text Line have seen a 40% increase in requests for help since mid-March when restrictions began.
Here at www.rtor.org, we have experienced a similar rise in requests for help and support.
Our service is based in Fairfield County, CT, one of the areas worst affected by the pandemic. During this time, we are making a special effort to serve the needs of our local communities in Fairfield and Westchester Counties, which have been severely impacted by the novel coronavirus.
Our Resource Specialists are available to answer your questions about access to mental health services and treatment in your area. As a privately funded website run by the nonprofit organization Laurel House, Inc. in Stamford, CT, we provide this free personalized service to our users.
Our two Resource Specialists, Denise Vestuti, LCSW, and Kim O’Reilly, MSW, have a message they would like to share with you.
Many people contacting us at this time have questions about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. NAMI provides one of the best resources available on this subject. Their COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) INFORMATION AND RESOURCES guide is a comprehensive FAQ (frequently asked questions) which will answer many of your questions about the pandemic as it relates to mental health:
- I’m quarantined or working from home – lonely and isolated even further – what can I do?
- What if I’m quarantined and can’t get my medication? Will there be a shortage?
- I lost a loved one to Coronavirus. Where can I find support?
- I’m a smoker. Am I more likely to catch COVID-19?
- I’m the aging parent of an adult child living with a serious mental illness. I want to be sure they are taken care of.
- Are there any online support resources for people with substance use disorders?
We thank Joe and Susan Gatto of NAMI Connecticut and NAMI Southwest CT for bringing this excellent resource to our attention.
Laurel House and rtor.org are here to help the communities where we operate in Connecticut and New York. In addition to our weekly blog posts on coping with the coronavirus pandemic and mental health, we encourage our users to check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website and local news reports regularly for updates.
If you or someone you know experiences mental health issues, it is important to seek help from a qualified professional. Our Resource Specialist can help you find expert mental health resources to recover in your community. Contact us now for more information on this free service to our users.
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