In times of difficulty and uncertainty, such as the one currently generated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of being healthy is even more present. In this opportunity, and due to the challenge of the current situation, not only physical health appears as relevant, but also mental health begins to be addressed at multiple levels.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have warned about this aspect and generated a set of guidelines to address mental health care and the psychosocial dynamics that the current health emergency generates. WHO/PAHO recognizes that "authorities around the world are acting to contain the outbreak of COVID-19. However, this time of crisis is generating stress throughout the population." (PAHO, March 2020, Retrieved from: https://www.paho.org/es/documentos/consideraciones-psicosociales-salud-m...).
Many of the recommendations of these organizations are associated with basic self-care measures, which not only include the necessary actions to avoid contagion or receive adequate care in case of contracting the virus, but are also aimed at attending to emotional balance and mental health.
Among the most salient indications are elements such as: limiting exposure time to news on social networks, only consulting official and authorized sources, maintaining telephone contact (or by other digital means) with family and friends, avoiding stigmatization of people with the disease, providing support to others, and dedicating time to identifying, connecting and amplifying positive and encouraging stories.
In these times it is also essential to have support possibilities, to be able to talk about what we feel, to share experiences and visions, to contain our anxieties and fears. The digital media today give us the possibility to meet and open a conversation about what we are going through in these times, constituting a valuable support.
There are several initiatives throughout the region and the world, generated by individuals and organizations, to provide emotional support and containment, psychological first aid, accompaniment and tools to strengthen individual, group and community resilience.
This is the case of many entrepreneurs and social leaders of the CAHI Fellows Network, who are active throughout Central America providing solutions and taking decisive action to care for people in recovery from COVID-19, prevent contagion, care for health personnel, strengthen care systems and provide timely information to the population.
In the area of mental health, the work of two organizations with complementary missions stands out: the Teen Smart team (Costa Rica) and the Tu Consejería ( Guatemala), who provide support services for all of Latin America.
Uncertainty and mental health
For Victor Juarez, CAHI Fellow and founder of Tu Consejería, the emergency generated by COVID-19 has boosted everyone's awareness of the importance of taking care of mental health. He comments that "5 months ago it was a difficult topic to address, not everyone accepted its relevance; now that has changed, everyone understands that it is essential to take care of mental health and is more willing to talk to a specialist."
Adriana Gomez, CAHI Fellow director of Teen Smart, adds that "no one was prepared for the pandemic, we have all been caught by surprise and are dealing with high levels of uncertainty, but in the face of that we believe deeply in the resilience of our team and people."
Two ideas of the current global situation stand out: the first is that the mental health and psychosocial impact of this event is as relevant as the effect on physical health, constituting a vital aspect to be addressed in order to sustain and promote the overcoming of the crisis and the development of new scenarios in all sectors of society; the second is that the effect of the emergency is forcing us to recognize the unity between the mental, emotional and physical state, as areas that must be taken care of in an integrated manner, both individually and in the community and social spheres.
Although these approaches are not new to social psychologists and other specialists, it is a significant change that the general population is aware of them and is looking for options to achieve greater internal balance and become stronger in the face of uncertainty.
Looking to the future
CAHI Fellows Víctor Juárez and Adriana Gómez recognize that the possibility of digital connection is a safe and fast way for the population to access mental health services. Although there is a gap in access to information and communication technologies, there is currently a high penetration of mobile devices in all sectors of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean.
This is the goal of the Teen Smart (from Costa Rica) and Tu Consejería (from Guatemala) initiatives: direct and easy access through cell phones, to receive support from mental health specialists, training on key issues and valuable information that allows people to make informed decisions and achieve greater internal balance.
Adriana tells us that "in times like these it is very important to have knowledge, but we also have to work on attitudes and motivations to achieve behavioral changes. We are focused on preventing risky behaviors, promoting life skills in personal leadership".
Teen Smart's approach is comprehensive, targeting adolescents and young people between the ages of 10 and 24, considering a training process on topics such as life skills, prevention of risky behaviors, safe Internet surfing, violence prevention, relationships, and sexual and reproductive health.
These trainings, as well as all the support and accompaniment services they offer, are completely free of charge. The Teen Smart team perceives that at this moment the service is more relevant and necessary, because it is required to generate many changes in the behavior of young people to face the current emergency and the crisis that is being generated as a consequence. Adriana adds that "we know that they need information appropriate to their age, that they require motivation and strengthening of values to make decisions, that they expect an accompaniment that does not judge them, open to listen to their feelings and promoting critical thinking."
Along similar lines is the Tu Consejería (Your Counseling) venture, which provides support services with specialists through instant messaging (chat). It is a project that democratizes access to professional mental health services, providing free and low-cost access, initially for young people, but now open to anyone who needs it.
Victor, founder and director of this project, identified that many young people in the country and the region experience low self-esteem, which makes them make decisions that sometimes go against their own well-being. In his process of research and reflection, he understood that it was important to accompany these young people in a process of change, self-esteem and self-care; he identified that the best way to provide this support was contact through instant messaging.
"Sometimes the topic of mental health is approached as taboo, it is stigmatized, but it should be a priority for everyone and receiving support from a professional should become something natural and accessible to all. That is why I brought together psychologists, psychotherapists and other specialists to provide this care, with a protocol that is strictly followed, guaranteeing confidentiality and safety for everyone," explains Victor Juarez.
Tu Consejería has developed experiences in assisting refugees and migrants (especially returnees), as well as other traditionally marginalized and invisible sectors. Since 2004, Teen Smart has provided services to strengthen resilience and promote the development of young people, offering training services, dissemination of valuable information, counseling and accompaniment, as well as mental health care.
These projects are an example of how the combination of a powerful vision, the approach to a clearly identified social problem, the integration of human capabilities with the use of technology, can transform realities and provide support in situations as challenging as the current one, strengthening the response capacity of young people and the entire population in the face of COVID-19.
People first
From the conversation with these CAHI Fellows, some considerations for the future emerge. We believe it is important to reflect them here:
In this way, they are breaking down many paradigms and allowing agents of social change like them to step forward, offering alternatives that give hope in the face of the challenges that we, as a global society, are currently facing.
