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The
Kids Help Phone offers 24/7/365 phone and online support.
Call 1.800.668.6868, text CONNECT to 686868 or visit www.kidshelpphone.ca.
Please Note: You may experience difficulty connecting with Kids Help Phone service right now. If your call is dropped, please text CONNECT to 686868 to reach one of the trained volunteers at our confidential texting service.
Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.
What Can You Do to Feel Better?
If you're feeling nervous about COVID-19, you're not alone. Being concerned and empathetic about this outbreak is normal. However, you may experience feelings of discomfort, impacting concentration, productivity and even disrupting sleep patterns (Morneau Shepell: Tips protecting yourself and Others covid-19)
Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.
Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. How you respond can depend on your life experience, your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in.
Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger.
Stick to facts as communicated by credible sources such as Public Health Agencies or medical professionals. Not all articles and information online are accurate and unfortunately social media can spread misinformation.
Things you can do to support yourself:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
- Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or try Christian meditation.
- Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and other substances.
- Make time to unwind - Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others - Talk with people you trust about how you are feeling.
If you're concerned and want to learn more, sites that include accurate information include:
Additional Resources:
School Mental Health Ontario Resources: