Mental Health Counselor Asbell gives tips to overcome pandemic
The world is slowly getting back to a place of normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.
Employers are bringing people back to work, and folks are stepping out of their homes to shake off the mental wreckage from isolation.
Clinical Mental Health Counselor Yolanda Hall Asbell, owner and executive director of LDH Counseling and Consulting, PLLC, says getting out of your comfort zone and attacking mental health issues head on and early on is pivotal.
Born and raised in Shelby, Asbell said she is “committed to helping the community that I love” and gives tips on how to protect our emotional well-being.
Q: When news of the virus broke, some health professionals were confident it would only impact older people, but we saw the pandemic effect the younger generation too. How can families deal with sudden loss?
A: A lot of times I use the grief therapy where we use the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It’s not a rushed process. Grief takes a while. There is no timeframe. We ask them where are you in that process? Sometimes we talk about their loved ones and the good memories.
Q: Many of us are used to getting up and checking our social media accounts as soon as we wake up. What impact can that have on our mental health?
A: I encourage people who suffer from anxiety or depression – sometimes they will get up and look at social media and that is not going to be healthy. Get up, open your blinds and let some light in. Do not go on social media if it is a trigger because a lot of times, people do compare themselves.
Q: How can someone politely tell friends and family to avoid pandemic-related conversations around them?
A: I would tell them to avoid whatever triggers their anxiety, which could be the news or social media.
Q: Conversations about mental health are more common these days, yet many people are still suffering and do not act quickly. Why is it important to take this issue serious?
A: Mental health is important just like your physical health. The brain makes the body function. If the brain is not healthy, neither is anything else.
