GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – COVID-19 can have minor symptoms in people that it infects, symptoms that are hard to see on the outside.
But that’s not the only invisible way that the disease has an effect on people.
“We certainly are talking about the physical health, you know our symptoms: coughing, fever, but what about the symptoms of people struggling with mental health,” Center for Suicide Awareness executive director Barb Bigalke said. “We’re in isolation, that means loneliness and we’re really seeing that it’s played its toll.”
On Thursday, Bigalke talked about it during the Northeast Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Summit.
“Today… today is all about education learning and coming together for the common cause of how do we intervene and prevent suicide,” Bigalke told FOX 11.
This week, President Donald Trump signed into law a bi-partisan piece of legislation, to designate the phone number 988 as a national mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline.
“It’s really a sign of strength to say I need help, and it’s not a sign of weakness, it doesn’t reflect poorly on you,” Bigalke said. “That’s a stigma that we really have to break down so that people have these vulnerable conversations, especially now during this pandemic.”
Bigalke founded the Hopeline in 2014, and she says calls have more than doubled during the pandemic.
“We already had a serious issue with suicide and mental health prior to COVID-19 and this is making it even more in the spotlight,” Bigalke said.
That means calls from people who’ve been furloughed, parents struggling to help their children with distance learning, and students who miss their friends at school.
But also: “we’re seeing many persons who had COVID-19 and recovered, but yet their mental health still is suffering,” Bigalke said.
If you are having a bad day, you can text HOPELINE to 741741 for emotional support at any time.
Comments