Every day, millions of Americans struggle with mental health challenges. Mental health refers to a variety of things including – cognitive, behavioral, and emotional wellbeing. It is about how people think, feel, and behave. Our mental health helps to determine how we effectively handle our own stresses, relate to others, and make life choices. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, as many as 45% of adults and 51% of youths have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Most of us know someone that struggles. It is important to understand these challenges because stigma against those who need assistance is very real and can be a serious barrier to getting the help they need. Being open to talk about mental health can help.

March is the one-year anniversary of when most of us learned the phrase “COVID-19 pandemic.” The long-term health impacts of the pandemic on our mental health may look like: fatigue, insomnia, changes in eating patterns, irritability. Collectively, this may be referred to as ‘pandemic fatigue.’

Center for Family Life and Recovery offers help through the Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”).  EAP services help covered individuals and their families cope with the changes during this uncertain time, including pandemic fatigue. The EAP provides short-term assessment and referral counseling services. EAP and Clinical Services Director Sara Haag shared, “Counseling is an excellent way to address the pandemic fatigue in your life through talking to a caring professional.” Primarily, counseling is provided virtually, but some limited in-person services are available, too. Besides counseling, the EAP team can help employers with training and education for their workforces.

To see if you qualify for EAP counseling, or to learn more, please visit https://www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com/ or call the Utica office at 315-733-1709 for more information.