BOSTON — You do not hear much about the up side of a global pandemic, but Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday was able to inject a note of levity into his daily COVID-19 update.
"I've tried for years to get my three kids to read books — wildly unsuccessfully," Baker said. "My daughter and a friend of hers [recently] decided to start a book club because it would give the two of them plus a number of their friends a reason to chat every night, something to talk about.
"They have now been reading books for a couple of weeks, talking every single night about what they're reading in the books they've got. They even asked me what I would recommend that they read.
"Honestly, it's a really good thing. It might be the only good thing that's come out of this."
Baker made that point to follow up on Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders' discussion of one of the many bad things to come out of the COVID-19 crisis: its impact on mental health.
Sudders used the occasion of Friday's start to National Mental Health Month to talk about the resources available to Massachusetts residents and the importance of maintaining one's mental health during the pandemic.
"Connect with others," Sudders said, opening the door for Baker's family anecdote. "Connection is what we're about. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you're feeling. And call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of how you're feeling about how you get through your daily life.
"It's very important as we get through this pandemic that we need to take care of ourselves, both mentally and physically."
Sudders reminded residents that part of the commonwealth's response to COVID-19 early on was the creation of resources, including CALL-2-TALK, a mental health resource line also reachable through the state's 211 line and mass.networkofcare.org, a searchable online database that can also be found through the mass.gov website.
Those efforts are mirrored locally by the work of Berkshire County non-profits the Brien Center and National Alliance on Mental Illness Berkshire County, both of which recognized early on that the pandemic would both challenge their ability the existing needs of area residents and create new demands for mental health services.
Those expectations seem to be panning out.
"Nearly half of Americans report that the coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health, as reported in an issue paper by the Kaiser Family Foundation in April," Sudders said.
Anxiety, grief, fears of economic insecurity and feelings of isolation stemming from the social isolation needed to combat the novel coronavirus are real, Sudders said.
And in addition to the resources and counselling opportunities available, Sudders offered some tips to address your mental health.
"It's important to take care of yourself, your friends and your family," she said. "And it's difficult to take care of others if you aren't kind to yourself.
"No offense to my friends in the media, but take breaks from watching, reading or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing or reading constantly about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. It's OK to turn things off.
"Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch. Meditate — whatever helps you, sort of, calm down. Try to eat healthy. Exercise. Get plenty of sleep. And avoid excessive alcohol or drugs. It's OK to take a walk or sit outside — in good weather, perhaps not today. It's important to take time to unwind."
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime.
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather.
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5.
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure.
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
Taylor Garabedian scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Abby Scialabba scored 16 points for the ‘Canes, who got 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists from Ashlyn Lesure. click for more
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather.
click for more
On Saturday afternoon at Lowell’s Tsongas Center, the Hurricanes will take aim at Division 5 State Championships in girls and boys basketball. click for more
The music was nearly drowned out by the honking of horns as motorists signaled their support to the picket line at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Thursday.
click for more
Justyna Carlson, longtime member of the Historical Society and chair of the city's Historical Commission, was posthumously honored with induction by Mayor Jennifer Macksey on Tuesday, during Women's History Month.
click for more
The students can now reach the town field through a rough path in the woods and walk the field until crossing the road or walk along the sidewalk-free Cross Road, a heavily traveled way with no shoulders. click for more