So you got a high score, do not panic, you are not alone. It does not mean that there is no hope or that you will need help forever. You have become so accustomed to functioning at a level of high anxiety or depression that you are unaware of what should be normal for your body and behaviors. This struggle means that you are in a functional state of survival and in need of outside support. The seclusion of social distancing and the expectation to be “OK” or “fine” has likely pushed you to the exertion of fatigue and the inevitable feeling of hopelessness.

There are many things that can and should be done at this level. First and foremost, the ability to neglect your own needs without professional support no longer exists. Counseling is a beneficial, but also accessible form of care. Many professionals have built up their telehealth practice as an option that could fit into your routine.

Just because there are higher risk factors reported, does not mean that solutions are not possible or that shame is something you should feel. Don’t be scared of what counseling could look like or that you would be considered “weak” for talking with someone about these areas of struggle. You have to remember that counseling doesn’t put you back on your previous path, it carves you out a new one. It also won’t keep you from having future struggles, but it will prepare you to handle them as they come.

Mental health is more important than ever. We are still seeing so many side effects and long-term changes in people as a result of living through the first airborne pandemic in many of our lifetimes. What’s important right now is advocating for the mental well-being of you and your community. We can’t start creating change and large-scale support without starting in our own homes.

Since the pandemic began to sink in during the spring of 2020, many people started to report increases in anxiety, trouble sleeping, substance use, and poor ability to cope. It makes sense that these numbers have not been able to restabilize. While some of the stigmas that come with mental health were lifted because everyone needed support, there is still a strong stigma that people believe every day.

As mental health professionals right here in Northeast Louisiana, we still see the need for mental health support like never before. The mental health community and partners within Finding Solace Counseling are coming together in order to advocate for each of you to know how to advocate for your own mental health.