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Let's Chat: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

 

It’s been a big start to the year with lots of world news that can start to get a bit much. It’s no surprise that seeing updates about the Coronavirus has been stressful for some people. 

 

If you are feeling anxious about this virus, we want you to know that you are not alone and you don’t have to struggle in silence. Feel free to have a chat about it here with us. As always, we are here to listen and support you through tough times. 

 

What personally helped me wrap my head around the Coronavirus was getting the facts. I’d really encourage everyone to have a read through them here and check out the links at the bottom of this post for the latest, updated health information: 

 

  •  Australia is taking action: There are protective measures in place including travel bans, self isolation and social distancing to reduce the transmission of the virus. You can find up to date information on the action Australia is taking here and here.
  • Person to person spread of corona viruses generally occurs between people who are close contacts with one another. A close contact is someone who has been face to face for at least 15 minutes, or been in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, with a person that was infectious.  
  • Globally the fatality rate is 2%, which is significantly lower than other recent major outbreaks. It is important to remind ourselves that we have a good healthcare system in Australia that is working hard to make sure we’re all okay.
  • It’s important not to avoid Chinese people, Chinese products or Chinatown as this can have very negative outcomes for this community. If anyone is at risk of transmitting they will be isolated. There is also a great article here about dealing with and fighting against the racism associated with this outbreak. 
  • Although it can be stressful sitting with the uncertainty of a new virus, know that scientists are working really hard to get on top of this. 

What can help to ease the stress is working on the things we do know and can control. Read on here if you need some tips on coping with things out of your control. 

 

So what can you do? 

 

  • Wash your hands frequently: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are not visibly dirty.
  • Practice respiratory hygiene: When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your elbow or a tissue – get rid of the tissue immediately into a closed bin and clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. Also, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. 
  • If you have a fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Tell your health care provider if you have travelled overseas, or if you have been in close contact with someone with who has travelled recently and has respiratory symptoms.

If you’re still feeling like you need more information, we’ve got some links below that might help to reduce the stress. 

 

  • Get all the information you need on the NSW Health site here or check out the FAQ page on the Department of Health website
  • If you’re feeling unwell and would like to check your symptoms you can do so here
  • Coronavirus health information line, call 1800 020 080 for people with questions regarding prevention and the spread of the coronavirus
  • Healthdirect helpline, call 1800 022 222 to speak to a registered nurse who can provide advice when you're not sure what to do — whether you should see a local GP, manage the condition at home, or go to an emergency department, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • This is a great info-graphic on coping with the stress of a viral outbreak here

 

You are not alone, and we will get through this together Heart

 

 

Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 14-02-2020 01:27 PM

Comments (6 pages)

 
 
 
 
 
Bananatime04
Bananatime04Posted 01-05-2020 02:06 PM
Thank you so much @JazzInMay Heart I think I will be okay after some water 🙂
 
 
 
 
 
JazzInMay
JazzInMayPosted 01-05-2020 02:03 PM

Aw @Bananatime04  definitely not a cry baby! Crying can sometimes be our bodies' natural reaction to something scary. I'm sorry you're still a bit shaky. I'm not sure if it helps you, but sometimes I need a little bit of sugar (like a juice, or flavoured milk) to get over the doctor nerves shakes too. If it's not for you, that's cool too! I get the shakes after needles etc. too.

I hope you're going okay and feel a bit better soon Smiley Happy

 
 
 
 
 
Bananatime04
Bananatime04Posted 01-05-2020 01:56 PM

@JazzInMay I’m still shaking pretty badly but that’s probably just my anxiety and me not getting over the fact that it’s done. Thank you 🙂

I hate needles too! I cry every time.. I’m just a cry baby Smiley Tongue

 
 
 
 
 
Janine-RO
Janine-ROPosted 25-03-2020 11:50 AM

Hey there @keezeik . 

 

I know that a lot of people are experiencing heightened anxiety at the moment, and I'm sorry that you're having a rough time with panic attacks. I would encourage you to have a chat to a health care professional about the type of chest pain you're experiencing when you have a panic attack as it's always a good idea to have this stuff checked, HealthDirect are available 24/7 on 1800 022 222 and they also have a symptom checker  tool 

which is a great way to get advice. A lot of GPs are now doing phone appointments too. 

 

It sounds like you're being really vigilant with hygiene precautions which is great, and taking your dog for a walk is an excellent way to get fresh air and exercise, which is so important for our mental health! What kind of dog do you have? 

 

Good on you for using an app for meditation too, it sounds like you've already taken heaps of steps to look after your own mental health. ReachOut also have a lot of resources on coping during COVID . 

 

I know I've personally found them super helpful! There's articles on everything from self-care, to ways to manage the current uncertainty. 

 

How are you feeling today? 

 
 
 
 
 
keezeik
keezeikPosted 25-03-2020 04:48 PM

Hi @Janine-RO Well I'll most likely bring it up with my psychologist when I see her next week. I have a west highland terrier 🙂 . I see thank you, I will have a look at them. I'm okay for now.

 
 
 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 26-03-2020 09:32 AM

Heya @keezeik - as @Janine-RO mentioned you have already taken some big strides towards coming to terms with your increase in panic attacks. I hope when you tell your psych you can get some more guidance on how to manage. Panic attacks are so horrible to experience but the good news is that you can reduce the frequency and severity of them! 

 

@MB95 let me do some research on some good apps for limiting time on social media and also shoot away with any questions you have around reducing news on your feed - or anything else you think will help.

 
 
 
 
 
keezeik
keezeikPosted 26-03-2020 10:20 PM

@MB95 if you have an iphone, you can actually limit apps in settings 🙂 also if you use the extension focusd (it works on chrome idk about other ones, that is also quite good on limiting social media.

 
 
 
 
 
trashconverters
trashconvertersPosted 26-03-2020 11:24 PM

Feeling really hopeless rn. My paranoia has set in and my brain won't stop telling me that this will never end. I can't even find enjoyment in my favourite TV shows or books because I see the characters out and about my brain is like "hey so you're gunna be stuck in your house forever :)" and it's been a really difficult evening and I can't take enjoyment from anything. 

 
 
 
 
 
MB95
MB95Posted 27-03-2020 01:34 AM

Thanks guys. I have a samsung so if anyone knows of ways to block any corona visus things I'd really appreciate it. I just can't cope with it. I thought I couldn't but I can't. 

 

I also have housemates that are playing the news and shit 24/7 and so loud in the house I can't concentrate on my studies. If anyone has advice on how to ask them nicely to make it stop I'd really appreciate it. I understand they might wanna watch it but it's a HUGE trigger for me atm and I don't know how to ask them to make it stop. 

 

Also @trashconverters  I hope you're okay. I can totally relate to your feelings of hopelessness right now. This is a real tough time for everyone, and I feel like it's even worse for those with mental health issues. Just remember you have us if you need someone to talk to okay? If you don't mind me asking, who are you stuck in the house with? Are they supportive people for you? Maybe they could help? Like could you maybe do a puzzle or game or something fun together to try and take your mind off whats going on? I know it's so much easier said than done, but just a suggestion.. 

 

Hang in there. We will eventually get through this! Don't ever forget you have us. We may he isolated, but we have eachother and we can make it through this ❤

 
 
 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 27-03-2020 11:32 AM

Hey @trashconverters - How are you feeling today? I totally get what you mean with feeling like this whole situation will never end. I know from talking to friends and family that heaps of people are struggling with the uncertainty of how long this will go on for. What has really helped me is remembering how resilient humans are. I think back to all the challenges we've had to face in history - we have overcome so much in the past and we have done it without the science/technology we have today. We will get through this and when things go back to normal we all be so excited and grateful. 

 

Also, @MB95 I feel your pain in regards to all the news. It's so overwhelming. There's a few things you could do. 

  • Delete social media feeds for awhile and stay in touch via messenger, facetime etc. There's also a cool app called HouseParty where you can video call people and play games together 
  • If you want to keep your timeline, you can go through and manually unfollow news pages or hide their posts. There's more info on how to control your news feed here 
  • Maybe you can also manage your Google News, instructions here 
  • You could also let people you're in contact with know that you're having a "News Cleanse" and that you'd appreciate not being sent COVID updates. 

It's such a hard time for everyone, know that ReachOut is here for you all. Whether it's to talk about fears or to have a distraction.

 

 
 
 
 
 
MB95
MB95Posted 29-03-2020 01:41 AM

Thanks @Bre-RO. I'm going to try take myself off social media for a while and hope that does the trick. 

 
 
 
 
 
Ronan-RO
Ronan-ROPosted 29-03-2020 08:56 PM

Hey guys

 

Thought I'd share this during this testing period Heart

 

1585af71-976d-4064-b1e2-2353f4ad8c71.JPG

 
 
 
 
 
Claire-RO
Claire-ROPosted 03-04-2020 03:51 PM

Hey @Hozzles 

Sorry to hear about your mate, I have had that before where you don't feel valued. At at time like this that would hurt even more. Recently I have been working on letting people know the impact they are having on me, it doesn't always change the situation but I often feel better that I had my voice heard (I got that tip from @Bre-RO ) Do you think you could check in with your mate and let them know whats happening for you and how they are making you feel?

 

 

@Bananatime04 great links!

 
 
 
 
 
Bananatime04
Bananatime04Posted 03-04-2020 11:11 AM

Just thought people might find these links useful:
This  link is a survival guide for dealing with family while in isolation 
This link has loads of really helpful information that evolve around frequently asked questions with really clear answers 
This link has a lot of helpful resources 
This link encourages open conversations for teenagers 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 02-04-2020 10:13 PM

Sorry for the double post but I just wanted to vent because I'm super frustrated. Also, sorry if this is a little off topic.

Basically, I only really have one friend who I talk to regularly. We don't see each other often despite living in the same town but we still talk literally every day, sometimes for hours. However, since the quarantine started I'm hearing less and less from her. She's posting on social media and I'm starting to gather why. With nothing else to do, she's taken to smoking weed all. the. time. Ages ago I told her to never, ever talk to me while she was high because, personally, and imagining being in an altered state of mind really, really triggers me. I'm glad she knows about my boundries and I'm so thankful but it sucks that I can see that she's read my messages yet ignoring them and I can gather what she's doing... even that still triggers me. I'm honestly really worried, I know people classify weed as something not too harmful but it's annoying how it can just erase someone's entire personality. 

So... because she's the only person I've had to talk to, really nothing I can do except be alone and feel awful that I am once again excluded because of drugs (all though high school it was alcohol). 

This sucks. I'm really so alone. Smiley Sad I guess one good thing is my local headspace is doing weekly Zoom meetings, so it's nice to catch up with them. That's only once a week, though, so I don't know how I am going to cope having no one to talk to.

 
 
 
 
 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 02-04-2020 01:52 PM

That's a really nice graph! Heart
But as much as I don't want to be a downer, the thing is that you can't really control the reactions of the people you try to reach out to, and you can't control who reaches out to you. Smiley Sad

That's also true, with social media people only really share the 'happy' stuff and it can make it look like they're doing more than they're actually doing. For example all I have been sharing is Animal Crossing however I only play it about an hour a day so my town is still pretty much a mess. Smiley LOL

I'm still at uni, only one class. I have no idea how I'm going to go, I know I have all the time in the world to do it now but I'm falling behind in my readings already. I want to contribute to the class discussions, but I don't like attending them if I haven't read the book (they're not compulsory) and I don't know how I'm going to get the assignments done as I'm so brain foggy and exhausted. Hopefully I can catch up over the holiday break...

I'm sick of being stuck in with my thoughts. Last time I had a major spike in my depression I spent it getting out as much as possible, now I can't. It's just so frustrating. Smiley Sad

 
 
 
 
 
Janine-RO
Janine-ROPosted 30-03-2020 02:00 PM

 

I saw this one on the weekend and liked it a lot @Hozzles , trying to be at peace with the current circumstances is easier said than done, I know. 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Janine-RO
Janine-ROPosted 30-03-2020 01:54 PM

@Hozzles  I can really feel you there, I think that people are also using social media more than normal to feel that sense of connection, and share what they're doing to cope - but that can also fuel those feelings of isolation or social comparison at the same time, when people make it look like their life is a stream of different ways of interacting with people/ doing craft projects/ learning to knit/ whatever! 

 

Feeling lonely is an awful feeling. I know that so many of us here can relate, I know I've had times in my life when I've been really lonely, but I also think that there's still a real stigma about talking about loneliness.

 

Are you still doing uni at the moment?  

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 30-03-2020 12:25 PM

Some days are worse than others. It's the worst trying to cope with this when you already lived an isolated life. I keep seeing everyone share fun times with friends, or being productive. I wish I could do that but I have no energy and no one around to talk to. I am so, so lonely right now. Nothing like a quarantine to bring home the fact you only have one friend, haha. 

 
 
 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 30-03-2020 02:49 AM

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this, but Lifeline has an article with some tips about coping with social distancing and staying connected and I think it's really helpful. 🙂

 
 
 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 27-03-2020 02:16 PM

Heya community! Just thought I'd share this helpful acronym for those of us who are struggling with covid. Read more about each letter here 

 

F = Focus on what’s in your control
A = Acknowledge your thoughts & feelings
C = Come back into your body
E = Engage in what you’re doing


C = Committed action
O = Opening up
V = Values
I = Identify resources

D = Disinfect & distance

 
 
 
 
 
JazzInMay
JazzInMayPosted 27-03-2020 04:18 PM

@Bre-ROthanks for sharing that acronym! Like a few people here, I feel myself struggling with the uncertainty of COVID, as we have no idea what it could look like tomorrow let alone in a week and that is understandably really difficult for us humans - who like routine and certainty - to accept.

I hope everyone is looking after themselves as best they can and taking time to recognise how they are feeling Smiley Happy

 
 
 
 
 
keezeik
keezeikPosted 28-03-2020 11:08 AM

I am not sure if other people do this, but whenever there is a time of crisis (this being the corona virus) I often hyperfixiate on things that I like. This time it's Taron Egerton - whom I have been crushing on since 2015 but now because of Rocketman I've been crushing on him harder. But in times like these I've been thinking more about how much I love him as an actor.

 
 
 
 
 
MB95
MB95Posted 25-03-2020 10:26 PM

Hey guys,

I'm not feeling too great and this whole virus situation is really starting to hit me. I keep trying to bury my head in the sand but I feel like it's getting too hard. 

I'm trying to stay off social media cause I know it makes me feel worse but I'm struggling. Does anyone have any suggestions on how they're maybe staying off things like FB at this time? 

 
 
 
 
 
Andrea-RO
Andrea-ROPosted 25-03-2020 11:05 PM

Hey @MB95!

 

I am about to log off but I thought I would quickly respond to your post. In terms of limiting FB, there's a couple of things you can do. The first is to download a procrastination blocker app. There are usually a bunch around, including ones for you computer, where you can set hard limits for how many minutes/hours you can access Facebook a day. Another thing you can do is something I had done a couple of years ago to reduce stress around the news, and it was to block News FB Pages from appearing in my feed. You can go all out and block everything, or if you still want to stay connected, you can keep a couple of reliable sources you trust most (I use ABC and SBS). I hope this is useful!

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