Stress management, coping with fear, panic and anxiety

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People are afraid of the unknown and of things which cannot be controlled. Therefore it is completely normal that ununpredictable situations cause sorrow, stress, confusion, fear or anger. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you feel anxious or worried about coronavirus, remind yourself that health and other professionals follow strict protocols to minimize the spread of the disease and contain all consequences. The current situation is challenging, so it is very important to act preventively. All together and each individual have to act responsibly and preventively for the common good. 

WHAT CAN HELP:

  • Having in mind that this is a period which is very difficult, but it will pass. 
  • Trying to remain calm. 
  • Talking to people we trust. Talk to family and friends. If live conversations are not possible, use modern technologies. 
  • Maintaining social contacts as much as is possible or safe under the circumstances. Social contacts can be maintained through new technologies. Avoid close contacts and especially socialising in large groups. 
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle - eat healthy, sleep plenty, be physically active (e.g. walking in nature, home excercises, etc.).
  • Do not use cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs for relaxation. Perform activities that make you feel good. 
  • If we feel emotionally overburdened due to the current situation, we can contact the institutions below (use phone support initially). If you do not develop disease symptoms, do not visit health facilities. 
  • Focus on what you can control (basic hygiene measures, daily routine). 
  • Obtain as much relevant information as possible, which will help you assess the risks and accept reasonable preventive measures. 
  • Obtain all information on coronavirus and related situation from reliable sources (e.g. Ministry of Health, National Institute of Public Health, World Health Organisation and media summarising their information). 
  • Reduce exposure to media that cause additional disturbances.
  • To cope with the situation, use skills which were proven effective for you in the past when confronted with difficult life situations and which help to cope with emotions. 
  • Make every effort that the situation will not interfere with our solidarity and humanity. When taking care of personal health, think also of others, especially vulnerable groups in the population (e.g. socially disadvantaged, people with chronic diseases, elderly, etc.) and how you can help them, while not endangering your own health. 
  • Be tolerant and accepting of others. Only together can we achieve a return to normal life as soon as possible. 

In severe distress, use one of the following sources:

HOTLINE SUPPORT FOR DISTRESSED: 

For information on suitable forms of support or just for support and conversation, you can call hotlines for the distressed: 

  • Hotline for mental distress:  01 520 99 00 (every day between 7 pm and 7 am).
  • Confidential hotlines Samarijan and Sopotnik 116 123 (24 hr/day, every day). Free call. 
  • TOM hotline for children and youth 116 111 (every day between 12 noon and 8 pm). Free call.

Za vse študente in zaposlene UP, ki ste se zaradi nastale situacije znašli v stiski in bi se želeli pogovoriti z našimi strokovnjaki psihologi, smo vzpostavili telefonsko linijo. Podporo zagotavljajo psihologinje Univerze na Primorskem (UP IAM in UP FAMNIT) in Slovenskega centra za raziskovanje samomora.

Z nami se lahko pogovorite vsak dan od ponedeljka do nedelje med 10. in 12. uro ter med 17. in 19. uro.

TELEFONSKA ŠTEVILKA: 05/ 611 76 55

Pomembno: Pogovor je namenjen prvi psihološki pomoči in razbremenitvi klicatelja, zato terapevtska obravnava ni mogoča. V kolikor bomo skupaj ugotovili, da bi potrebovali daljšo obravnavo, vas bomo usmerili na bolj ustrezno obliko pomoči.

Več informacij, vključno z razporedom strokovnjakinj, dodatnimi številkami in napovedanimi predavanj je objavljenih na strani: https://www.upr.si/si/univerza/covid-19-in-up/psiholoska-podpora#

We have established a hotline for all students and staff at UP who have found themselves in distress and would like to talk to our psychologists. The support is provided by the psychologists of the University of Primorska (UP IAM in UP FAMNIT) and Slovene Centre for Suicide Research.

You can talk to us daily, Monday to Sunday, from 10am to noon and from 5pm to 7pm.

PHONE NUMBER: 05/ 611 76 55

Important: The support is intended to provide psychological first aid and relief to the caller, unfortunately we do not provide psychotherapy or long term treatment. If (together with you) we recognize the need for such help, we will direct you to more appropriate treatment options.

More information, including the schedule of psychologists, additional support numbers and announced lectures are available at: https://www.upr.si/en/university/covid-19--up/psiholoska-podpora