The head of the Vermilion County Mental Health Board says the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than ever to give people stress.
Jim Russell says ordinary people who once knew exactly how they were going to live out their day-to-day lives now suddenly have no idea what tomorrow will bring. He says people have a fear of not being able to control their lives.
“There’s a level of worry, there’s a level of fear, there’s a level of anger,” Russell explained. “For a lot of people, control of their lives has just been taken out of their hands.”
Russell says people should be more encouraging to others who might seem to be stressed during these difficult times, and says not to put blame on them.
As for what people who are experiencing stress should do, Russell offers some tips.
“I encourage people to, when they’re facing a lot of stress and worry and pressure, have this place in your mind where you can escape to,” he said. “Don’t use it all the time, but try to calm yourself down.”
A study by the University of North Carolina recently found 55 percent of Americans are experiencing more stress than normal. Millennials were most likely to have stress.
