Time to care for ourselves and others

People are being asked to be kind to themselves and others as part of a push to care for community members’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manjimup shire staff are encouraging people to look after their mental health as they would their physical health.

Strategies to build resilience and care for mental health include managing exposure to media coverage as it can increase feelings of fear and anxiety, following a calm yet cautious approach, showing compassion and kindness to others and maintaining social connections with friends and family. Manjimup shire president Paul Omodei said something as simple as asking friends, family and neighbours if they were OK could help.

“Checking in on those that seem more vulnerable can make an enormous difference to someone’s wellbeing,” he said.

“If you feel that someone needs a bit more support during these challenging times and you don’t know who to ask, just contact the shire’s Recovery Team on 0499 550 224 and they will do whatever they can to help.”

In addition to staying in touch with others, people can stay entertained in a variety of ways to stay mentally engaged.

People are also encouraged to take time for themselves, laugh once a day, focus more on things you can control and do something you have been putting off.

There is support for people impacted by domestic violence at 1800Respect, Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline, Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline, Crisis Care and Life Line. Life Without Barriers is open and offering help in the Warren-Blackwood region.