For those who follow the quarantine guidelines, staying at home could be stressful and depressing. As a matter of fact, there are already reports of suicide. For this reason, registered social workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) are extending their help by providing online psychosocial support and psychological first aid to those suffering stress and depression under the enhanced community quarantine. The services, however, are litimed to some areas only.
The Bicol region is one of the major producers of social workers in the country. If registered social workers in Manila can do this, why not in Region 5?
Of course what these social workers are doing is plain volunteerism. But maybe, just maybe, we can pool volunteers in Bicol for this one – not just social workers but also psychologists and even ordinary people with good hearts. The latter can donate something for the social workers and psychologists. Donations can be phones, loads, referrals or anything that could also lessen the burden of those who will do psychosocial work.
Going out of the houses and violating the rules of ECQ are coping up mechanisms. Making psychosocial support available, we may be targeting two birds with one stone — addressing the psychosocial needs of those depressed, and making the people stay at home.
The fight against this Covid pandemic is not just the fight of medical ptofessionals. It is the fight of everyone. Hence, we should fight the pandemic together and not fi ght each other.
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