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Q: I've been seeing a therapist for several years and we recently moved online. It just doesn't feel right. Should we break up?
A: Even if it feels different, research shows that telemental health services can be just as effective as in person services. More in this thread
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Even if you receive services like art therapy, play therapy, or occupational therapy, new virtual technologies can enhance your therapy experience and engage you in different ways...
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Therapists can now use virtual technologies to engage patients' family members/caregivers, guide individuals through exercises (such as art therapy with tools provided/mailed, parent management with feedback on play); and learn more about the individual's home environment.
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Still, if you have an urgent need to see a therapist in person and your state permits it, stick to the following rules:
🏠 Stay home if sick or in contact with someone who was sick;
📏 Maintain #SocialDistancing
😷 Wear a mask;
🖌️ BYO supplies (ex: art supplies)
(5/8) While the dynamic of your appointment might change, therapy can still help you/ your family's mental health.
We know this is difficult. #loneliness alone can increase mental health symptoms, so it is important to continue to reach out to all of your social networks.
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Short answer: continue your therapy and maybe try new methods to achieve the same treatment goals.
You can also try boosting your therapy sessions with one of the many new apps out there like @DeptVetAffairs' #COVID Coach: ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/…
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Of course, if something doesn't feel right and you need more help, there is always someone to answer and guide you to resources/additional support at 1-800-273-8255.
1/ Q: Has almost everyone been infected with COVID by now?
A: Recent estimates suggest around 58% of the population in the US and over 70% in England have been previously infected, with BIG increases during the Omicron wave.
3/ ➡️ During the Omicron wave from December 2021-February 2022, this estimate increased from 33% to 58%.
➡️ Rates vary a lot by age, ranging from 33.2% for those over age 65 to 75% for those under age 18.
2/ Not likely. If your kids are suddenly getting sick a lot, this is likely due to “catching up” on exposures rather than a weakened immune system.
3/ Many families w/ young kids have been hunkered down for the better part of 2 years– a good % of a young child’s entire life. While isolation had *many* downsides, we can agree that not having to suction snot out of infant noses or clean up norovirus puke was a happy upside.
1/ Q: Are cases peaking? That means it’s all downhill from here, right?
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve).
2/ ➡️ And if the downward slope is *slower* than the rise, we will see *more* cases during the decline from a surge.
3/ Burning fast could be a silver lining of super transmissible #Omicron. Cases rose & fell quickly in S. Africa (w/ hospitalizations & deaths still lagging). The UK appears to have turned the Omicron corner. Many US states appear past their peak in cases, w/ regional variation:
Unfortunately, this includes New Year’s Eve plans. The perfect storm of a new variant & holiday get-togethers is hitting communities & health care w/ FORCE! Testing is in short supply.
3/ Health care is under extreme pressure with surging cases. If you can avoid even one additional contact, you are helping. This is a temporary and urgent request (from a health care provider).