In a short window, a matter of days, we’ve had Halloween, a full moon, the end of Daylight-Saving Time, and a Presidential Election. The only thing missing was the swarms of cicadas – oh, that was this past summer! As a nation, we seem wound up and nervous at what the future holds. Yes, 2020 will go down as an unforgettable year of years – how we act, interact, how we love one another, or take care of ourselves has been redefined, altered. Our emotions have been on a rollercoaster of highs and lows for months and the most frustrating thing is that it continues or will possibly become worse. The underlying feeling of fear and dread has become our daily emotional starting point.
Through it all, we’ve adapted, persevered, and supported each other and now more than ever, that support is needed. The silent menace that we face are the growing mental health and addiction issues that are a direct result of the pandemic. Under normal circumstances our world presents sometimes insurmountable challenges – in the age of COVID-19, these have become intensified. The important thing is to recognize the signs and to seek help. We are lucky to have many mental health care professionals in our community as well as groups and organizations that will give you support. We also have a remarkable spiritual community that can provide fellowship in times of crisis. Honesty to yourself and to your needs is not an easy thing to act on but is the essential foundation to a better life and recovery. As a community, it is critical that these issues are part of our awareness and a topic of discussion. Here are a few places to find support and or possible referrals:
The Orange County Department of Mental Health Tel: (845) 291-2600 or visit the Orange County website: www.orangecountygov.com.
The Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition: (845) 986-6422, ext.4. www.warwickvalleycommunitycenter.org/prevention-coalition.
AA Orange County: www.orangenyaa.org.
National Alliance on Mental Illness, Orange County Chapter Tel: (845) 906-6264 email: namiorangeny@warwick.net; www.namiorangeny.org.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council Tel: (845) 294-9000 www.adacinfo.com.
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