Counseling and Personal/Social – Mental Health Counseling Services:

~COVID-19

Things you can do to take care of yourself

Emotions like fear, sadness, anger, frustration and anxiety are natural responses to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many of us will experience some or all of these feelings and others as we cope with the Coronavirus. One of the best ways to deal with these emotions is to do things that help us to feel better. These might include:  

·       Taking breaks from watching television; playing video games; listening to, watching or reading the news; and being aware of how social media affects your mood.

·       Making time to regularly visit with friends and family online or by telephone, if you have access.

·       Doing your best to get plenty of sleep, eat healthy meals and exercise regularly.

·       Taking time to relax, unwind, do things that you enjoy or try something new.

·       Talking with trusted adults about concerns and feelings.

·       Avoiding alcohol and drugs.

·       Having conversations with others about things other than the Coronavirus outbreak.

When to ask for help

We are all in this situation together. Particularly during the school closure, students, their friends and their families may feel alone, afraid, anxious and unsure of what to do. It is important to talk with a trusted adult if you are experiencing three or more of the following for more than a few days at a time: 

·       Feelings of sadness, depression or a lot of irritability.

·       Feelings of hopelessness or panic, or having ongoing worries about the future.

·       Feeling a lack of interest in activities that you used to enjoy.

·       Having significant changes in your appetite or weight.

·       Having significant changes in your sleep patterns.

·       Feeling that you’re too tired to move, work or play most of the time.

·       Feeling hyper or agitated most of the time, or having a very hard time relaxing.

·       Feeling worthless or very guilty.

·       Having a very difficult time concentrating and making decisions.

·       Having thoughts of, or plans to hurt yourself or others.

 

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed a lot, or frequently experience three or more of these signs of distress, it is important to talk with someone or to ask for help.

 

If you or someone you know is experiencing severe emotional distress or is suicidal, GET HELP IMMEDIATELY by contacting one or more of the following:

·       Police Call 911 

·       Local crisis line 877-519-9322

·        National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK En español: 1-888-628-9454​​

·        Crisis Text Line (text “HOME” to 741741)

·        The Teen Line: 1-310-855-HOPE (4673)

·        National Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-800-448-4663

·        Substance use help: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

·        For Peers:  warmline.org links to warmlines in every state or chat Lifeline Crisis Chat or Crisis Text Line.

·        For Youth: Oregon Youthline website or call 877-968-8491 or text “teen2teen” to 839863

·        For LGBTQ: Trevor Project website or call (866) 488-7386, for a 24-hour toll-free suicide hotline or Trans Lifeline at 1–877–565–8860

~Part of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program includes providing mental health services. Both Mrs. Battleson and Mrs. Fulton are available to support students in their personal/social counseling needs. As licensed counselors, they are trained in many areas of at-risk, crisis and mental health issues.

~For non-immediate crisis please make an initial appointment with the counselor with your letter in the alphabet. (Fulton A-K, Battleson L-Z) Counselors will work together with you on your behalf to make sure you feel comfortable and are meeting with the counselor that best fits your needs. If it is an immediate issue or situation please come directly to the counseling office and one of them will be quickly available for you.

~Curry County Community Health also has mental health counselors not associated with the high school. Students can seek them out on their own or through a referral from the counseling office. 

~Counselors strive to maintain confidentiality with students. Counselors are mandatory reporters and if a student shares that they are hurting themselves and/or are going to hurt themselves, going to hurt someone else, or someone is hurting them (abuse) then in those cases counselors are legally and ethically mandated to contact parent/ guardians or appropriate social agencies.

 

BHHS Anonymous Tip System, SafeOregon: To report a tip

• Online: safeoregon.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Call or Text: 844-4-SAFE-OR (844-472-3367)