The world is experiencing an unprecedented pandemic that is affecting everyone around the globe. Governments and businesses, families and individuals are facing difficult decisions as millions of people are experiencing life as never before: separation from family and friends, reduction or loss of income, fear for the physical health of ourselves and others, confinement at home, and unclear (sometimes false) messages on social media and in the press. Alone, any one of these would be enough to stress us so it is no surprise, that their cumulative impact is likely to be detrimental to our mental health.
The British Psychological Society (BPS) has put together some tips, advice and links to articles that “might find helpful in dealing with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic”. As a proud member of the British Psychological Society, I would like to share these with you.
Please note, the BPS state: “Please be aware that this is not an exhaustive resource and you should make every effort to stay up to date with and abide by the guidelines set out by the UK government and the NHS“. I would like to recommend also viewing guidelines set out by WHO.
BPS Resources
- Talking to children about Coronavirus
- Talking to children about illness
- UK schools closures – support and advice
- Teacher resilience during coronavirus school closures
- Advice on using social media to cope with isolation
- Psychological impact on older people
- Supporting older people and people living with dementia during self-isolation
- Protecting the psychological needs of healthcare staff
- Guidance for psychological professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic
- Effective therapy via video – top tips
- Considerations for psychologists working with children and young people using online video platforms
- Guidance for accredited clinical psychology doctorate programmes
External Resources
- UK government guidelines
- NHS guidelines for the public
- NHS guidelines for clinicians
- Public Health England guidelines
- WHO: mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak
- WHO: guide to preventing and addressing social stigma associated with COVID-19
Image credit: Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash
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