As the outbreak of COVID-19 continued, aside from exchanging information with friends and family members about the purchase of protective supplies, everyone is also keeping a close eye on the health condition of themselves and those around them, especially for any symptom related to the virus. However, have you ever considered that apart from physical health, maintenance of emotional health is also vital for weathering the storm in face of the adversity of COVID-19?

Little Mango (alias), who is a long-term resident in the Mainland due to her employment, returned to Hong Kong to live with her family a while ago. In face of the gigantic amount of information and news regarding the outbreak, it was inevitable for her to feel worried. Besides, the fact that she once suffered from anxiety disorder and was re-adapting to living with her family caused even more psychological pressure and she had been in a nerve-wracking state. When Little Mango tried to seek support, she realized that the clinics and counselling centres that she used to go to were all temporarily closed because of the outbreak, which left her feeling helpless. Luckily, her friend forwarded a message to her regarding the “Shall We Talk” psychological support service provided by the Hong Kong Red Cross, so she immediately made a reservation for it. Little Mango received a reply the subsequent day and was arranged for counselling service over the phone with Claire, a member of the Psychological Support Service Team. “I am very grateful to Claire for patiently listening to the things that are bothering me, she offered me professional advice and specific ways to help. Not to mention that my case was followed up by the same person each time, this ‘one-on-one’ continuous support service made me feel more at ease to share my feelings.”

After understanding the psychological state of Little Mango from the first counselling phone call, Claire suggested Little Mango to list out all the things that had been worrying her every day. At the beginning, Little Mango’s list could fill up a whole page, but gradually, she realized that she had been writing down the same thing over and over again, which meant that she didn’t have as many troubles as she had imagined.  Upon finishing the list each time, Little Mango also learnt that her worries were not endless, and some of the things bothering her were out of her control. That is why she gradually understood and learnt to “let go”, she also took Claire’s advice to do happy and relaxing things every time she finished the “List of Worries”, such as breathing exercise. Just after the first session, Little Mango’s psychological state had already improved significantly. After four sessions, she learnt certain effective ways and skills to cope with her stress and get along with her family. She has been much more relaxed and does not require continued support for now.

In the wake of the outbreak, it is unavoidable for the public to feel concerned about the complex and ever changing situation. If you are feeling anxious, you might as well try to pause and listen to yourself about what is worrying you, then adjust your mindset by analyzing which of those things are within your control, which are not, and whether it would be beneficial to the issues or to yourself if you carry on worrying about them. Apart from paying attention to your physical health, everyone should pay attention to the emotional health of yourself and others around you, and seek assistance from professionals if needed. A healthy body and positive mindset is the most effective weapon in the fight against the virus!