A study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research reported that patients with COVID-19 reported symptoms and even severe depression twelve weeks after having the virus.
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According to that study, between 11% to 28% of patients had symptoms of depression three months after contracting COVID-19, and 3 to 12% had clinically significant depression.
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If you had covid-19 and you feel depressed, or you know someone who is going through this situation, remember that they are not alone: many people are fighting this same battle. And, precisely for this reason, the specialists have prepared several guides to help you.
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Harvard Medical School gives these tips to beat post-covid depression
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Get physical activity. In addition to being as effective as medications for mood and anxiety, physical activity also helps with memory and heart health.
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Make use of relaxing rituals. When the world seems out of control, try setting up a ritual. Having control over even part of your day can help you feel grounded. Relaxing rituals include prayer, meditation, or breathing exercises.
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Be very careful with sleep aids and medications. Short-term use can quickly turn into long-term use, leading to drug tolerance, dependence, and rebound anxiety.
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Limit alcohol and cannabis use. Prolonged stress can lead to increased – and problematic – substance use.
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Be careful with caffeine. If your post-COVID-19 fatigue is severe, discuss other options with your doctor for energy, as excess caffeine can exacerbate anxiety and trouble sleeping.
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If you notice that a loved one is suffering from severe depression, ask how you can help them. It is often much easier to turn down help than to ask for it. If someone is privately struggling with suicidal thoughts, a simple call for control or a gesture of concern can save their life. The National Suicide Prevention Line (800-273-8255) is available to anyone in serious danger.
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Guide to public resources in NYC for those suffering from post-covid depression
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New York City has this series of resources available to help those who have been infected with COVID-19 and are suffering from depression:
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- Emotional support line NY Project Hope. In addition to specialist counselors, reliable referrals and educational materials are offered to local provider agencies… all dedicated to helping with the emotional changes brought on by COVID-19. Tel. 1 (844) 863-9314.
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- NYC Well: Help online, by phone or text, for free, private mental health support. Help is available in more than 200 languages. You can access support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. To speak with a counselor and access services: Call Tel. (888) NYC-WELL (888) 692-9355, or chat online here.
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- Mental Health for All: Help for immigrants, members of the LGBTQ community, families, seniors and adolescents, who need to speak with a therapist, find support groups, help with grief, anxiety, trauma, insomnia, and other problems, call the emergency line: (888) 692-9355. Or visit this website: Mental Health for All.
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- You can download a guide of tips and activities for mental well-being in Spanish, by clicking here.
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- You find a series of practical tips to maintain mental health, in a pandemic in winter, by clicking here.
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- You can read this list of tips to reduce the anxiety caused by the pandemic, here.
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- And you have at your disposal resources to help the mental well-being of adolescents, children, parents and educators (including videos), by clicking here.
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