04/15/2020
NAMI HelpLine Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST (800) 950-6264
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information and Resources
I’m having a lot of anxiety because of the Coronavirus. Please help. We get it. It’s hard to sift through the messages and information coming at us. Worse, the “unknown unknown” (not knowing what you don’t even know) can cause even greater anxiety for those of us who are panic-prone.
What can you do? 1. Remember that knowledge is power. Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune
response to COVID-19 will matter as much as, or more than, understanding the virus! Poor lung health caused by smoking, lack of adequate health care, suppressed immune systems, and/or populations particularly susceptible to infectious diseases, such as the elderly, have been particularly affected by COVID-19. Yes, there is risk, but for the vast majority the risk is not commensurate with the degree of obsession and panic that media and social media coverage of the virus has bred.
2. Don’t accept everything you read or hear. Keep in mind that news outlets are profit-driven and the
age-old adage, “if it bleeds it leads,” can result in exaggerated reporting. Look beyond the numbers and arm yourself with information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and frequent updates on the COVID-19’s spread, severity, risk assessment, etc. To subscribe to the CDC’s email and text message service, visit CDC Subscription Service.
3. Put things in perspective:
• In 2017, nearly 40,000 people in the U.S. died from a fall in the home.
• CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in 9 – 45 million illnesses, 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.
• The fatality rate of COVID-19 is 2% — higher than the flu but lower than SARS (10%) or MERS (30%).
• More than 80% of coronavirus cases are mild.
4. Get your emotional support system in place:
• Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible; take care of your basic needs and employ helpful coping strategies: rest during work or between shifts, eat healthy food and engage in physical activity.
• Stay connected with others and maintain your social networks:
▪ Have the emails and phone numbers of close friends and family at your fingertips.
▪ Stay connected via email, social media, video conference and telephone.
• Find a free online support group (see page 3 for a list of options).
• Reach out to your local NAMI Affiliate or State Organization for information on support programs in your area.
• Visit the NAMI Resource Library, which provides an extensive list of in-person and online support groups, and other mental health resources.
• Contact the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline (800) 985-5990 that provides 24/7, 365-day-a- year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
• Have the number of several Warmlines (emotional support hotlines) at your fingertips.
• Call the NAMI HelpLine at 800-950-NAMI (6264) Monday through Friday, between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm EST for mental health resources.
• National Mental Health Consumer’s Self-Help Clearinghouse is a nationwide directory to locate local consumer-driven mental health services, including resources such as Clubhouses, crisis prevention/respite services, drop-in Centers, employment resources, housing, peer case management and support. The website maintains search functions for the directory of local CDS (consumer-driven services).
5. Take control, incorporate preventative measures
• Wash your hands. See the CDC’s list of preventative measures.
• Avoid watching, reading or listening to news reports that cause you to feel anxious or distressed. A near-constant stream of news reports can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Instead, seek CDC updates and practical guidelines at specific times during the day.
• Be supportive to others. Assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.
I’m quarantined – lonely and isolated even further – what can I do? The good news is that there are numerous online support communities and emotional support hotlines to help you if you are quarantined:
Building Resilience
• Visit the CDC’s page on Stigma and Resilience that discusses COVID-19’s impact on mental health, and how we can reject stigma and build resilience during this time.
• American Psychological Association offers an excellent online resource called the “Road to Resilience,” a step-by-step guide that helps individuals develop a personal strategy for enhancing resilience.
Finding Phone Support A warmline is a confidential, non-crisis emotional support telephone hotline staffed by peer volunteers who are in recovery. Callers will find an empathetic listener to talk through their feelings. To find a warmline that serves your area, visit the NAMI HelpLine Warmline Directory on the NAMI Resource Library page.
Finding Online Support Communities
• NAMI hosts online communities where people exchange support and encouragement. These Discussion Groups can easily be joined by visiting www.nami.org.
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST (800) 950-6264
• 7 Cups: www.7cups.com Free online text chat with a trained listener for emotional support and counseling. Also offers fee- for-service online therapy with a licensed mental health professional. Service/website also offered in Spanish.
• Emotions Anonymous: www.emotionsanonymous.org An international fellowship of people who desire to have a better sense of emotional well-being. EA members have in person and online weekly meetings available in more than 30 countries with 600 active groups worldwide. The EA is nonprofessional and cannot be a complement to therapy.
• Support Group Central: www.supportgroupscentral.com Offers virtual support groups on numerous mental health conditions - free or low-cost. Website also offered in Spanish.
• TheTribe Wellness Community: www.support.therapytribe.com Free, online peer support groups offering members facing mental health challenges and/or difficult family dynamics a safe place to connect. Support groups include Addiction, Anxiety, Depression, HIV/AIDS, LGBT, Marriage/Family, OCD and Teens.
• SupportGroups.com: https://online.supportgroups.com/ Website featuring 200+ online support groups.
• For Like Minds: www.forlikeminds.com Online mental health support network that allows for individuals to connect with others who are living with or supporting someone with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and stressful life events.
• 18percent: www.18percent.org Offers a free, peer-to-peer online support community for those struggling with a wide range of mental health issues.
• Psych Central: www.psychcentral.com Offers online mental health resources, quizzes, news, an “Ask the Therapist” function, and online support communities.
I don’t have health insurance or a regular doctor – how can I get care? Because of various causes (lack of access to health care, lack of medical insurance, homelessness, etc.) patients with serious mental illness die earlier, have more medical illnesses, and receive worse medical care than those in the general population. This is particularly challenging with an epidemic such as COVID-19 affecting a community.
What you can do:
• To begin with, you may wish to consult your local NAMI Affiliate regarding low-cost health clinics in your area. To find your nearest NAMI Affiliate, click on your state through the Find Your Local NAMI menu.
• Federally funded health centers can also be a good resource for those without health insurance or with a limited budget. You pay what you can afford, based on your income. Many of these centers include mental health services. Find a federally funded health center near you.
• National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics are safety-net health care organizations that utilize a volunteer/staff model to provide a range of medical, dental, pharmacy, vision and/or behavioral health services to economically disadvantaged individuals. Offers a Find A Clinic function on its website.
• Websites, such as Helpwhenyouneedit.org and www.211.org, allow you to conduct a zip-code- based search for local resources including affordable medical and mental health clinics, housing, food, employment, etc. You can also dial 211 from your phone to access information on local resources.
• For resources on medical/non-mental health (children’s health care, dental care, eye care, women’s health), the Free Clinic Directory offers a free clinic treatment locater by zip code; each clinic listing offers reviews, services provided, and contact information for clinics for the uninsured, no cost and affordable medical clinics.
What if I’m quarantined and can’t get my medication? Will there be a shortage? You can ask your health care provider about getting a 90-day supply vs. a 60- or 30-day supply. If this is not possible, or if health care providers deny/decline making accommodations, challenge the decisions at least three times. Decision-makers on making health plan adjustments may change if/as conditions worsen.
Keep in mind that many cold/flu medications should not be taken along with antipsychotics and/or antidepressants. Please consult your pharmacist or prescribing health care professional for any potential medication contraindications.
My business is suffering as a result of the Coronavirus. What assistance programs are available to help? Contact your state’s department of Public Health or Small Business Services website for local programs that may be set up to provide financial assistance to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. In some areas, businesses may qualify for low-interest loans and employee retention grants.
General financial assistance
• Need Help Paying Bills: www.needhelppayingbills.com Provides information on assistance programs, charity organizations, and resources that provide help paying bills, mortgage and debt relief (financial, rent and government assistance).
• Aunt Bertha: www.auntbertha.com An online resource that connects users to free and reduced cost local resources such as medical care, food, housing, transportation and much more. Website also offered in Spanish.
• 211 / www.211.org Dial 211 from any phone (mobile or landline) or visit www.211.org to search for contact information by zip code; service refers callers to appropriate agencies/community organizations that offer emergency financial assistance; available in most areas. Website also offered in Spanish.
• HelpWhenYouNeedIt: www.helpwhenyouneedit.org An online service that connects users to over 350,000 listings nationwide of private and public resources for food pantries, stores that accept food stamps, assisted living facilities, domestic violence and homeless shelters, mental health & substance use treatment, free clinics, legal and financial assistance.
• Help with Bills: www.usa.gov/help-with-bills Provides information about government programs that help with bill payment, temporary assistance, jobs/unemployment, credit, etc. Website and Helpline also offered in Spanish.
Medical care / Hospital bills
• The Assistance Fund: www.tafcares.org For those who qualify for financial support, service provides patient advocates to assist in securing financial assistance for co-payments, prescriptions, deductibles, premiums and medical expenses. Spanish-language translation service also available.
• Rise Above the Disorder: www.youarerad.org Connects users with resources for finding a therapist, answering mental health questions and applying for grants to cover the cost of therapy.
• Patient Access Network Foundation (PAN): www.panfoundation.org Provides underinsured patients with financial assistance through disease-specific funds that provide access to progressive therapies. Spanish-language calls accepted.
NAMIHelpLine
Monday-Friday,10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST
(800) 950-6264
• Patient Advocate Foundation: www.patientadvocate.org Helps federally and commercially insured people living with life-threatening, chronic, and rare diseases. Offers co-pay relief program to provide direct financial assistance to insured patients who meet certain qualifications to help them pay for needed prescriptions and/or treatment. Their website also has many other resources and services. Website also offered in Spanish.
• HealthWell Foundation: www.healthwellfoundation.org Provides financial assistance for underinsured to afford critical medical treatments through “Disease Funds” (note, typically for chronic physical diseases - not mental health conditions). Website also offered in Spanish.
Prescription Medication
• NAMI Getting Help Paying for Medications page: https://www.nami.org/find-support/living-with-a- mental-health-condition/getting-help-paying-for-medications
• PhRMA’s Medicine Assistance Tool: www.medicineassistancetool.org A search engine for many of the patient assistance resources that the pharmaceutical industry offers.
• Needy Meds: (800) 503-6897 / www.needymeds.org Offers a HelpLine and website information on financial assistance programs to help defray cost of medication. Website also offered in Spanish.
• RX Assist: www.rxassist.org Provides up-to-date directory of free and low-cost medicine programs and other ways to manage medication costs.
• RX Hope: www.rxhope.com A free patient assistance program to assist people in need obtain critical medications.
• USARX: www.usarx.com Provides coupons online for downloading/printing and can be brought to the pharmacy to see if it will give consumer a lower price or beat their copay.
• Blinkhealth Prescription Assistance: www.blinkhealth.com Individuals (with or without insurance) pay upfront for medication online and then take a voucher to their pharmacy. Accepts calls 8 a.m.-10 p.m. M-F, 9 a.m.-7p.m. weekends (EST); Spanish language option on patient assistance line.
Are people who have a mental illness at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19? While there’s no correlation between having a mental illness and getting COVID-19, there are certain factors that make the population more susceptible for the reasons highlighted below. You can read on the CDC’s website about who is at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.
• Smoking
• Lack of health insurance and/or consistent medical care
• Unstable housing
• Incarcerated populations
• Poor hygiene
• Elderly
Will taking my antipsychotic medication reduce my immune system? This is inconclusive. While laboratory studies have shown that healthy mice had a reduced immunosuppressant response to the antipsychotic medication, Risperidone, this data has not been proven in studies on humans. A greater risk is having a mental health setback by stopping or changing medications than catching COVID-19.
Is there a vaccine or cure for COVID-19? There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Self-neglect or poor personal hygiene are common signs or symptoms of serious mental illness and pose a greater risk of exposure to germs and their spread.
What you can do The CDC recommends the following everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.
Personal hygiene:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Note – the CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
Travel/contact with others:
• If you are sick, please stay home and seek attention from your health care provider. Do not return to work until your health care provider has told you that you can do so.
• If you have been instructed by a public health official or a health care provider to stay home because a member of your household is sick with respiratory diseases symptoms, please do so.
• Reassess any travel plans you have in the coming months, assess your own risks and of your loved ones, and make decisions consistent with what you think is best regarding travel, and/or contact with others/crowds.
I lost a loved one to Coronavirus. Where can I find support? Many grief support services are offered through organizations at the community level. A good place to start is to contact your local NAMI Affiliate. To find your nearest NAMI Affiliate, click on your state through the Find Your Local NAMI menu. Additional options include:
• Most local hospices offer free or sliding scale grief therapy or can refer individuals to grief support in their area. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Association maintains a list of hospices across the country.
• Grief Share hosts free, in-person grief recovery support groups across the country.
• PersonalGriefCoach.net is a website that acts as a portal linking people who are grieving after a death by su***de to an extensive online directory of resources and information to help them cope with their loss, including a link to su***de bereavement support groups directory.
I’m a smoker. Am I more likely to catch COVID-19? What should I do? Due to weakened respiratory systems, smoking increases the severity of diseases such as influenza and MERS (another coronavirus). COVID-19 is a disease that mostly affects the lungs. Also, individuals who are chronically exposed to second-hand smoke may also be vulnerable to respiratory infections.
What you can do: If you are a smoker, consider quitting smoking immediately. Consult your doctor about smoking cessation programs or over-the-counter aids like ni****ne gum or patches, which can be purchased at most pharmacies without a prescription. Additionally, Quitline.org is a website that contains links to nationwide Smoking Cessation Programs, information on How to Quit Smoking for Free, Quit Smoking Free Patches and more.
How does homelessness increase risk of contracting COVID-19? People with mental illness can experience times of homelessness, which places them at greater risk. People living outdoors often do so in close quarters and lack the ability to maintain basic hygiene, including precautions such as hand washing. They may also face more danger from serious infection because of existing illnesses or frequent use of drugs or alcohol — factors with the potential to make a case of COVID-19 more severe. And, since some homeless people also move often, it makes it harder to reach them for treatment and potentially increases the spread of the virus if they are carriers. Finally, sustained exposure to the elements and living among a population with similar challenges can weaken the immune system. It also reduces the likelihood of access to medical care necessary for early detection and treatment.
What you can do:
• For immediate and emergency housing, the online Homeless Shelter Directory provides information on homeless shelters and other social services throughout the country.
• Consult www.211.org or dial 211 from any cell or landline for a list of shelters in your area.
• National Mental Health Consumer’s Self-Help Clearinghouse is a nationwide directory to locate local consumer-driven services, including housing. The website maintains search function for directory of local CDS (consumer-driven services).
• See section above regarding finding affordable/free medical clinics in your area.
My loved one is incarcerated, are they at increased risk for exposure to COVID-19? The lack of sufficient, community-based treatment options has resulted in the drastic increase in the incarceration of the people with mental illness. Further, people in the U.S. are incarcerated at a rate of about one million times per month, and the number of staff who go to work and families who visit these places is even greater. (The same goes for courts, where judges, defense attorneys and prosecutors may limit court services or even close courts.) Also, prisons and jails generally house people based on several types of security classifications, and when people are confined to a housing area of a jail or prison, there will be a tendency to keep them there, without the services they are entitled to.
What you can do Incarcerated people have Constitutional protections under the Eighth Amendment, including the right to medical care/attention as needed to treat both short-term conditions and long-term illnesses. The medical care provided must be “adequate.” Communication with jail/prison administration is key and should start early by those who are incarcerated and/or their families.
If an incarcerated loved one is not receiving adequate care, families and caregivers may be their best advocate:
• Contact the medical staff at the facility (note: contact may be limited/difficult due to confidentiality regulations.)
• If a family member is permitted to bring medication to the jail (dependent on jail policy), bring the individual’s current medications and all relevant records to the facility. Be sure the medication is in the original pharmaceutical packaging with dispensing instructions.
• If your loved one is being denied treatment:
▪ File a formal complaint directly with the facility in question.
▪ Contact the state’s Department of Corrections office is the issue remains unresolved. ▪ Contact your state's Governor.
▪ Contact your state’s protection and advocacy agency, which is responsible for protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities.
▪ You can also contact your state’s affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
▪ Consult the American Bar Association’s Find Legal Help search function where you can locate the legal referral service for your area.
I’m the aging parent of an adult child living with a serious mental illness. I want to be sure they are taken care of. What you can do
Visit the NAMI Online Knowledge Center where you can learn about what is involved in Creating a Long-term Care Plan for a Loved One Living with a Serious Mental Illness.
NAMI HelpLine Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST (800) 950-6264
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
