LUBBOCK, Texas — As the number of confirmed Coronavirus cases on the South Plains continues to rise, it’s normal to feel some anxiety, and reach out to a mental health professional.
Sydney Wenglein, is a bereavement counselor at the Hospice of Lubbock, and said she and many other counselors have moved to virtual sessions with their clients.
“I think when you think about empathy and compassion,” Wenglein said, “you think about closeness and physical touch. You hug, you shake hands.”
Now moving to phone calls and video chats, Wenglein said it’s an adjustment.
“There has been a spike in anxiety,” Wenglein said. “I think a lot of it is the social isolation, not being able to go out as much.”
Wenglein said if you are staying at home, things like going on a walk, listening to music and cleaning the house are productive ways to stay busy.
Reach out, call a friend, call a neighbor, call a family member, call a mental health professional,” Wenglein said. “Somebody that you trust that can really validate what you’re going through and just understand the fear and anxiety that comes with a pandemic like this.”
