COVID-19 Mental Health Resources

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1.800.273.8255 (TALK)

We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741

Text from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.

Veterans Crisis Line

1.800.273.8255

Text 838255

The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that’s available to anyone, even if you’re not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. The caring, qualified responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline

1.800.985.5990

Text TalkWithUs to 66746

The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories

National Alliance on Mental Illness 

1.800.950.6264

Text NAMI to 741741

NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

• Emotional Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Outbreak

National Alliance on Mental Illness

• NAMI.org

• COVID-19 Information And Resources

• COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide [PDF]

Offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, our education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.

Virus Anxiety

The team at Shine, in partnership with Mental Health America, has vetted and compiled a wealth of research-backed and helpful tools—articles, meditations, access to mental health experts, anxiety screenings, and more. Think of Care for Your Coronavirus Anxiety as your mental health toolkit during this time.

Help Guide’s Coronavirus Anxiety: Coping with Stress, Fear, and Uncertainty

HelpGuide is a nonprofit mental health and wellness website. Their mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based information that you can use to help yourself and your loved ones.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

• AFSP.org

• Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty

• Find Your Local Chapter

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

• SAMHSA.gov

• Warning Signs and Risk Factors for Emotional Distress

• Suicide Prevention

• Managing Stress During a Crisis: A Guide for Supervisors [PDF]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• COVID-19 Stress and Coping

• Taking Care of Your Emotional Health

• Response Resources for Leaders

Here are six steps for staying well during times of prolonged isolation and disturbance:

1. Keep a Routine

• It is critical to keep your daily life predictable to the extent you can

• If you’re working remotely, stick to a schedule

• If work is on pause, create a new daily schedule for yourself and stick to it

• Consider one 2-3 hour block of focused activity in the morning and another in the afternoon

• Start a project you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had time

2. Take Care of Your Body

• Sleep well and stick to a regular bedtime

• Enjoy the luxury of waking up without an alarm

• Don’t linger in bed once you’re awake—get going

• Eat healthy food—Eating a balanced meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner will make you less tempted to stress-binge

• Exercise daily and take advantage of having more time for it

• Set new fitness goals for yourself

• Walk, run, or bike while maintaining physical distancing

• Take one of the many guided exercises available online

3. Nurture Your Social Connections

• This is the time to connect even more than ever

• If you live alone, consider building daily check-in routines that keep you connected

• If you live with others, remember to lift them up emotionally

• Consider doing things together that you all enjoy

• Walk away from conflicts at this time

• Connect remotely often with people you’re close to outside of the house

4. Find Purpose

• We’re in a time of prolonged pause from activities that give our lives purpose

• Remember this is temporary

• What can you do during this time to create purpose for yourself?

5. Take Care of Your Emotions: Seek Out Joy

• We have so much more control over our emotions than we think

• Find ways to redirect your attention to what brings you happiness

• Try this what-went-well-today exercise

• Seek out playful activities—music, dance, and games

6. Take Care of Your Emotions: Keep Your Worry in Check 

• Anxiety is our mind’s way of getting us to pay attention to threat so we can problem solve

• When used for problem-solving, anxiety is our friend

• It’s not working right when we just get wound up without solution

• The U.S. Department of Defense decided to build soldiers’ resiliency by teaching them to "decatastrophize." You may want to learn this powerful technique

The ADA recognizes and thanks the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) and their Dentist Health and Wellness Committee for allowing us to add some of their mental health resources to what we are sharing with all ADA members.