I was talking to a friend. She asked how I was doing at work with my social distancing studio.
I started thinking about that. “You know,” I said, “I have spent my entire life talking to myself. Why should now be any different?”
Look, I know it’s weird. I’m alone in a room with a remote camera. I go into the TV station and see almost no one. I mean, literally no one.
Usually I like to be a bit of a loner, but this is even starting to get to me.
Talking to myself… it got me thinking about our mental health. How the Coronavirus is taking a toll on us mentally, too.
The CDC just released a new report on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on our mental health. Turns out, it’s significant.
It found that on some level, we all have elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression. Some are abusing substances more. Some are thinking about suicide.
The CDC report also breaks down the findings among populations. More than 20% of essential workers have reported suicidal thoughts.
A higher percentage of Blacks and Hispanics reported considering suicide more than whites.
And 75% of young people report at least one adverse metal health symptom.
None of this is really surprising to me. Times are difficult. Besides the pandemic, we are facing poignant racial and political issues in our country.
What I think we must do is deal with mental health appropriately. Take care of ourselves. Take care of our family and friends. Tell others that if you need help, get it. If you know someone who is struggling, help them.
There is plenty of free help out there. Use it. Take advantage of it.
It gets better on the other side. A new day is coming. As I wrote about the other day, do what Michele Norris says, “Reach for better.”
As for me, I’m sitting in my upstairs socially-distanced studio writing this post. I’m okay. Better than I would have thought. Just reaching for better.
… and still talking to myself.