Stigma and mental health in the time of coronavirus

What we are experiencing right now is scary and confusing. It is temporarily and permanently life changing. It brings to light the range of humanity's character, the best to worst behaviors exemplified in ourselves, our communities and our government.

Take stigma, an unfounded association between a risk and a person or group of people, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are A, then you are also B. Stigma is particularly common in disease outbreaks, like the current pandemic. The novel coronavirus and COVID-19 are said to have originated in China. Based on this theory, people who appear to be or who are of Asian descent have experienced racism, and some people believe them to be more likely to have and spread the virus. The data collected so far show that this belief is not true.

Stigma is fed by fear, which underlies judgments and bias and propels anxiety and panic. Fear pulses beneath much of what is reported in the media and how it is reported. It grabs our attention, grips our amygdala and takes us for a ride, blocking our ability to constructively process and critically think about information. Fear is displayed in how we perceive and treat each other and ourselves. We point fingers, blame, come up with inaccurate explanations for why something is happening and who is at fault and grab on to false certainty.

As a mental health nurse, I have noted that some clients are experiencing increased anxiety, panic, sleep disruption, inability to focus and - in some - hallucinations or hearing voices. There are many factors that contribute to this, including stress. Navigating mental health struggles is not limited to those living with these issues before the pandemic. One in five adults experience emotional or mental health challenges at some point. Because of stigma associated with experiencing a mental health issue, however, many go without seeking help.

The extended stay-at-home order challenges people to move from survival mode into a long-term new normal. Slowing down can be very uncomfortable, causing unaddressed issues to surface and create more stress, emotional strain and relationship challenges.

Being uncomfortable is not necessarily a bad thing, however. We humans are more adaptable than we give ourselves credit for. If you are struggling, this is a good time to try something different from what you have been doing. Start to identify and challenge your own barriers to change, such as stigma and fear. There is no harm in being curious, asking questions and seeking more information.

Facts help minimize fears, but how do you differentiate between fact and fiction? First, breathe. Then, find reliable sources: those that report factual information without strong opinion, bias, or judgment attached. Take everything with a grain of salt, pause and allow the undercurrent of reaction to move through you. With this practice, you might find that you do not get taken for such an emotional ride as often. If you do, that is OK. Start where you are, breathe and go from there.

There are many mental health resources available in our communities that continue to provide care. At the community mental health center where I work, all programs and services moved to secure video and telephone sessions for current and new clients. The rapid transition to meet the current crisis is an example of how adaptable we really are.

For help, call your local community mental health center. Text "TALK" or "HABLAR" to 552020 to get a call within 24 hours from a mental health professional in your community. Text "HELLO" to 74141, a crisis for immediate care services (the Illinois Mental Health Collaborative) or call the national suicide prevention crisis line (800-273-TALK).

We are more adaptable than we give ourselves credit for, not just in the face of a physical threat but also in response to mental health challenges. Identifying our own fears, biases and judgments and the ways we feed stigma will help break down the barriers to change in ourselves and will ripple outward in a ripple effect on those around us, building character in positive ways for now and long into the uncertain new normal.

• Sara Stoy, R.N., of Carol Stream, is a staff nurse with AMITA Health Center for Mental Health in Arlington Heights.