City of Cupertino, CA County of Santa Clara COVID-19 Videos, 20 Nov 2020

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From YouTube: County of Santa Clara Public Health: COVID-19 and Mental Health - November 20, 2020

Description

East Side Union High School District Counselor, Jessica Gonzalez-Cedillo and EOC Public Information Officer, Corina Herrera-Loera talk about mental health and how to provide support to our loved ones during this pandemic.

Recorded November 20, 2020.

The City of Cupertino would like to express its thanks to the County of Santa Clara for the use of their video materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information regarding the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in Cupertino, please visit https://www.cupertino.org/coronavirus

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For the latest information regarding the covid 19 pandemic in cupertino, please visit.

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Cupertino.Org coronavirus.

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Good morning my name is corina herrera public information officer. Here at the emergency operations center with santa clara county welcome to facebook live, we will be taking off our mask. Well, I will be taking off my mask during this segment, so you can understand me more clearly and our asl interpreters can also understand and interpret.

C

Thank you all for joining us today. We have today jessica, gonzalez, who's, a school counselor for east side, union high school district, and we will be talking about the importance of mental health during a pandemic and how stigma can make a problem worse.

C

We will also talk about the fatigue and how it can make some people stop following guidelines and let our guard down it is very important to regain control and raise our guard, especially by wearing our masks, maintaining our social distance six feet apart at least remembering to wash our hands for 20 seconds, and if we do have anybody, maybe visit us and we don't know meet with people outdoors.

C

Also, we must take the test once a month or every two weeks, if possible, if we're essential employees as community members, we are reminded daily of the pandemic of the alarming numbers that continue to climb and going into purple many begin to feel the effects of this pandemic, which can result in feelings of anxiety, depression or even isolation.

C

So we have a very important topic to discuss today. Welcome jessica, thank you for being with us. Thank you and, let's start with our first question, what would you say to people who are beginning to feel these feelings, whether anxiety, depression? Is it normal? Should they look for resources.

D

So I would like to first emphasize and make it very clear and normalize that all of this is normal. It's normal to feel anxious. It's normal to feel depressed to feel isolated. um The world is changing. The world has always changed right. We've always um experienced different changes right, but sometimes you know when things happen or changes happen across the globe or across the country. For us, we don't feel that impact, because it isn't directly affecting us right.

D

So this time change came fast, it came unexpected uninvited and it is affecting the entire world in the same way, um some of us more than others. Obviously so, we've had to make adjustments from one day to the next literally, and those adjustments have impacted our lives right. Those adjustments are made to our lives our daily routines.

D

Some of these changes are self-imposed. Some of these changes are imposed by external demands, right, like what we're having to um do with our masks- and you know social distance, not gather with family, and so all of this is, is really testing our resilience, our spirit, our emotional state, right, because uncertainty leads to anxiety right. So we we don't know, what's next, we don't know what's going to happen right. um Social isolation leads to loneliness.

D

So all of these feelings that we are all going through because we are all going through them definitely impacts us and this definitely normal, and so, when you start to feel these um emotions or become and part of this state of mind, it is really really important that you do seek help that you do seek the resources that the county has laid out for us. um There also are resources that you know your. You know.

D

If you have children at schools, they can refer you to which will pos, possibly and likely be the ones that the county has outlined for us to um to um lean on right. If we need that help.

C

Thank you uh and what would you as a counselor, you know at a high school seeing youth? Would you say that there are more youth seeking services nowadays during this time you.

D

Know what I'm here at the school that I'm at and we definitely see the self referrals right, the students asking for the help, because they know they are being impacted. They know that this is affecting them um very much emotionally and mentally, and we work with our social worker who we make the referrals to, and she has definitely seen a big increase in self referrals right, because usually, what happens here is the teachers or staff members or counselors who work um directly with the students will make that referral to our social worker right either.

D

She'll start meeting with them or she'll refer them out to out outside community resources and agencies, and um this time around what she's seen is an increase in self-referral. So students are actually seeking that help because they know they need it and they feel that it's going to help them. That's.

C

Great to hear you know, especially the youth seeking those services on their own, um and so you know we want to encourage right. Like jessica mentioned, we want to encourage adults to also do that uh and something else I want to touch on as we've discussed is the stigma you know. Stigma will start with stigma around covert 19 right what that means. If I have it, you know I'm not going to say anything because I'm going to be looked at differently.

C

You know people are not going to want to invite me or talk to me, and so we need to get away from that. You know um making it. You know we didn't invite. As jessica said, we didn't invite this uh disease, you know into our communities, and so it's not something that we created and it's something we can't see, and so anybody can get it. Anyone can get it at any time, and so we need to normalize.

C

You know that if we do have it, we need to speak up and say: hey, I'm not feeling well right or I tested positive, and I know I have it. I can't see you. I can't come to work. uh You know our children cannot see each other. We need to be honest with ourselves and with others. Also, you know, we know somebody that has it. We need to be understanding. We need to support right.

C

They can't go out to the grocery as anybody else that might not have it so supporting our neighbors supporting our family members, leaving groceries at the door. We get to support one another instead of seeing it. As you know, something like, oh god, you know they have it.

C

Let's not talk to them or, let's not see them, we get to support one another and we get to come closer, especially during these times to lower these numbers, uh and you know um we sometimes have family members that you know want to come over want to invite us. We get to be honest um and say you know not today, not anytime soon, um you know. For now. We know that it's 14 days a quarantine, but even that right.

C

If we can stay away from folks longer, then then let's do that um and seek out services resources for a county. You know if you need to quarantine yourself and you live with others, you know, and you can't be there. We have resources so just call and make sure that we support one another to maintain those numbers um from going higher. We need to get those numbers down um and so jessica in regards to mental health services. You know we also know in certain communities.

C

It's like you know, don't say anything, keep your problems to yourself. Don't talk to anybody. What would you say you know around that?

C

You know whether it's help for themselves or help for their children or even a niece and nephew. You know a family member. um What would you say around that.

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D

We shouldn't be ashamed right. We shouldn't be ashamed, that we're sick or that we, you know, have covered or that we've had it. We shouldn't um avoid seeking help. We should say that we, if we've been around other people, we should share that, because that is acting in a responsible way right. We as an adult, are modeling how to deal with an issue how to deal with a problem to our younger generation to our children.

D

If we have children in our homes right and so when you take responsibility and you hold yourself accountable or you take that accountability like you know what I I have I've tested positive, um you know. I know we were having dinner outside or whatever it was last week, and I really need you to go and make sure you get checked or it's part of our responsibility as human beings, as as members of the society, to keep one another safe right.

D

That's what we're doing we're not um trying to become more isolated or become you know the black sheep, or what have you it's about building community having um the just the responsibility of empathy and to make sure that everyone around you is okay right and when we do that, when we make sure that to check in or to you know, say you, I need help we're modeling to our children, how to solve problems right, how to uh deal with issues right and if the more we do it, the more we normalize it the more it's going to to be okay and to be part of what we do moving forward right.

D

This is a time where we've really had to we've had to reinvent ourselves right and really look inside reflect. You know how do I want to move forward in life? How what kind of a human being do? I want to be right- and this is definitely a moment in time where we get to do that right. It's not easy. Making changes are not easy, as we all are dealing with right, but it's so so important to do that, not just for yourself, but for everyone around you.

D

If you don't have children, but people around you, you know society, those who you work with. It's super super important to seek that help and normalize it and not be ashamed of it.

C

Thank you and I love that right. It's a it's a physical help with the cobia and that mental health and emotional part right like when we have a need to then seek out that support or help one another you know mentioned. I have a friend, I have resources and services where you know I have a number where you can call at any time, especially when we start seeing some of the signs and we'll be going over that in a little bit um and before we go um into that.

C

I I do want to talk about um the you know. Just me feeling you mentioned a little bit about the isolation that loneliness where sometimes it's like you know, you're at home, you're like it must just be me feeling this way. You know, why is everybody you know feeling great or doing great? You know. Why do I feel like that? Can you talk a little bit about that feeling um and how can someone someone process, maybe that negative energy into something uh positive.

D

Right so when we are isolated or when we are alone most of the time we feel like it's just us right, we're the only ones who are dealing with that issue. um We we um we've lost that connection, that physical connection, that we've all been used to, that we've all known right so again, going back to that everything that we've known to be normal right now has changed for us.

D

So it's hard right to look at it right with how I know my friend or my co-workers, dealing with x, y and z, just as I am and they're feeling the same way as I am because we're disconnected in that physical form that we've all been used to right so right now we're also receiving a lot of information that information overload right.

D

Our routines have been disrupted, so things that we can do for ourselves uh and to change his negative energy into a positive energy and positive way of moving forward is to tune out for some time right. So we're receiving all that information overload and when a lot of that information is negative or it's it's just kind of like a downer right. It makes you feel really like sad and overwhelmed you're, naturally going to feel that same rate, right you're, going to feel that negative energy that the just the sad information about rates going.

D

I mean percentages going up of covet cases. The death rates going up- that's heavy stuff, so it's important to for you to build um like uh um I'm sorry boundaries right like say, I'm only going to look at my news or the updates for my account or for my city and to see make sure everything's. Okay, no changes have been made. I don't have to make any changes to my daily routine and then turn it off right and then tune into something, that's positive. That makes you laugh. That brings you joy. That brings you.

D

Peace and those things are very, very important, so setting boundaries with the information that you're receiving is very important. The other part is that you know: we've had our routines disrupted, so finding a new routine, a new daily routine, is going to help you right. Building new habits. Waking up, maybe this time around you. We don't have to worry about that commute. So that gives us time to wake up. Have some tea or some water, you know, do a mini meditation or stay outside breathe in some fresh air.

D

You know go back in start your connection, if you're working remotely from home whatever it is right that building a new routine, that's going to help. You feel better.

C

D

So those would be.

C

My suggestions, thank you so much, and um I do want to highlight some of the resources that we have here in the county to our behavioral health services, and so the phone number that uh we have here for our call center for behavioral health services is 1-800.

C

And you will see on the screen a list of the different phone numbers and resources that we have and let me just go back to that call center number. When you call you will have an option um from various um choices. The first one will be the suicide hotline you know and depending on the needs, you will then mark and go to the to that choice.

C

The second one will be the mobile crisis line uh where somebody can come out um and we have behavioral health services providers coming out um and can respond mobily, and then we have an urgent mental health services option and then the next one. We have a referral to mental health or substance use services and then the next one will be general information, and so these are the different options that we have.

C

um You know if you don't, if you're calling- and uh you know it's an emergency- obviously you know you will be encouraged to call 9-1-1 depending on the situation, but there are many services and resources in our county for uh behavioral health, for mental health uh resources, um and so, as jessica mentioned earlier, you know we know that gyms are being closed. We know that you know some of us had gone back somewhat to our regular routines, where we were working out um or or doing things.

C

You know uh that were making us and helping us kind of feel a little bit more normal and we had to close down right and go back to the purple tear um I just want to highlight. You know right now, um jessica, since we can't visit one another um and we can't see you know, people that we were maybe seeing you know, because we were at the point where we were gathering with two other families.

C

You know what can you um highlight and maybe even you know mention again right um that that's healthy for our families during this time, especially maybe during the holidays. You know that are coming. People had maybe other ideas of what they were gonna do, but um we have to come back and you know, stay home this holiday, these holidays coming up any thoughts on that.

D

So um again, it's all about reinventing ourselves right and it's really hard, and I understand right because it's a it's a change and change in what we use we've been used to so um really thinking about what are other ways that I can connect right with my immediate family. What can I do? What? How can I make this different? How can I make this a little bit more special right or this um dinner tonight? What have you or this birthday? How can I make it?

D

You know: am I gonna go back to zoom, calling or zoom parties, or you know what about writing letters, we've kind of lost that right. I remember growing up with writing letters to my cousins or to my aunts and uncles.

D

um It was not just in another country, but you know across the state or in another city, so reinventing ourselves, but also looking back at what we used to do to communicate and stay in contact with people right. um I think those are really important things to kind of just uh think about. It could be a really great family conversation over dinner about okay. So what what can we do differently? What would you like to do right? um What can we do?

D

How about we send a note to everybody that was supposed to come over this thanksgiving or how about we send a note to you know luis, because I know he's feeling sad. You know he's he's home alone or whatever it is right.

D

Let's how about we call him and or how about we um set up a zoo meeting, so we can talk, and you know just connect and catch up, just different things or things that we started to do at the beginning of their shelter and pleasure when the pandemic first came here to us um to just keep connected and try to stay hopeful right, yeah, because that's all we can do those.

C

Are great ideas you know, and so it's all about lifting the spirit right of ourselves of our families of those around us. um You know another idea I heard from one of our co-workers was like you know. We can't go out and have christmas with others, but we can bring christmas home. You know and so those little things that really lift that spirit for yourself and others around you right. Thank you so much jessica for joining us today. I appreciate you coming.

C

You know, to share your wisdom with us, um and so you know to the community out who's watching us. um You know, let's remember you know, maintain social distancing, wear our face masks, you know, make sure to wash your hands and make sure that your holiday plans look different from last year. If, for some reason they look sit the same, there's something wrong this year. We need to make sure that they're different, and so with that also I want to highlight some of the testing resources that we're having in our county coming up.

C

We will have a testing site in the east side of san jose on story and king next to the cardenas shopping center in that shopping center. Next to the store, you will see a clock tower and go in through those doors you'll see on the screen. You know where it's at located and then also um the times it will be next wednesday and then there will also be a chan, an opportunity in december to also go there and get tested so make sure you do that and then also.

C

I want to highlight that just because you get tested and you test negative, it does not give you a pass to travel or to be around others. You know other than your household. What it means is just that in that moment you tested negative, because you don't know: what's happened after that, and so usually you receive your test could be from three days to maybe a week. You know or more there's things and people that you've come in contact with between that time.

C

You don't know what they've been who they've been around, and so it does not give you a pass. So, just remember that you know it's for the moment in time. We get to continue to test ourselves. If we're frontline workers we get to test ourselves every two weeks. You know um if you're not try to get tested monthly, we need to make sure we bring our rates down. Everything we do will support. As we know, we've done it before we brought our numbers down, we can do it again. We just gotta tighten up.

C

Thank you so much for joining us and we'll see you the next time.

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For the latest information regarding the kovid 19 pandemic in cupertino, please visit.

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