Google “It’s okay. I’m fine. Everything is fine,” and you will find more than 2 billion results. From memes to clothes to coffee cups, this sentence seems to be everywhere. It has become a unified mass slogan, which is actually quite ironic…why? Because words that are not true may never be said.

Although we all claim to be “good”, the pandemic has already caused measurable damage to our mental health. In 2020, the number of American adults reporting anxiety symptoms is four times as many as in 2019.

National Center for Health StatisticsAnd, as you might guess, the increase in rates of depression, stress, and low self-esteem is similar.

Slowly approaching the fine

But every dark cloud has a silver lining, and we can thank the pandemic for providing great revelations on the importance of our mental health and well-being. Mental health has never received more attention than it is today. Therefore, you can find a world of information and support just by looking at your phone, designed to help you deal with the impact of the pandemic on your mental health.

Remote behavioral health professionals

There are many established and reputable

Telemedicine services that connect patients with mental health professionals

(Even if you don’t have insurance).If you are an Independent Blue Cross (IBX) member, you can call the following phone number to find a remote behavioral health service provider Mental Health On the back of your ID card. You can also contact your current provider to see if he or she offers virtual access options.

Mental health and healthcare applications

From getting better sleep to reducing stress through guided meditation, to establishing daily yoga habits, there are more than 10,000 self-service apps on smartphones. If this is beyond your time or desire,

Here are some that might be worth seeing.

Community resources

You can also get support at the local and regional levels. Religious organizations, community groups, and county health departments can help you find and contact nearby resources.

One of the largest primary mental health organizations is National Mental Illness Alliance (NAMI). NAMI is committed to creating a better life for millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Find NAMI chapters and other local resources for your state.

In these emotionally challenging times, you can also get help in the following ways

ibx.com/knowyourmind. Understand your thoughts Combine information about symptoms of depression and anxiety with expert tips for self-care, managing common mental health issues, and talking with healthcare providers. Knowing what you think can make it easier for you to understand when, where, and how to ask for help.

If you are a resident of southeastern Pennsylvania, you can find local crisis and mental health services through the health department in your county:

Philadelphia County:
• Philadelphia Behavioral Health Care Network
• Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health Services and Mental Disability Services
• Healthy Mind Philadelphia

Bucks County:
• Bucks County Department of Behavioral Health

Chester County:
• Chester County Office of Mental Health

Delaware County:
• Delaware County Office of Behavioral Health

Montgomery County:
• Montgomery County Mental/Behavioral Health

If you are not good, you are not alone. If you feel anxious or extremely sad, you can get help:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
Call 1-800-273-8255
Get free and confidential support.
• Crisis text line:
Text Home

to 741741 Contact a crisis advisor.

This article was originally published in

IBX insight.

About Sheila Perik

I am a copywriter for IBX, as well as my spouse, parents, dog owner and chef. Like many people, I’m always looking for ways to make my daily life easier, so that I can spend more time with my family, exercise more, and (hopefully) get more sleep.