May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, an issue that has become even more topical during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dallas County Health Department Health Navigator Ann Cochran says one important factor in reducing the coronavirus impact on your mental health is to manage your news intake. In particular, she says to not oversaturate yourself with virus news on a daily basis, and to also take the opportunity to find news about good things happening in spite of the pandemic. Aside from that, Cochran says it’s important for people to get the help they need from professionals.

With that in mind, she says the outbreak is largely responsible for making resources easier to acquire. “One of the positive things that’s come out of this pandemic is an uptick in the number of providers who are offering full services, either via Zoom or just simply on the telephone. And there are lots and lots of telehealth providers in the area of behavioral health. So if somebody is having some struggles and they don’t feel comfortable going to a counselor, to their office, I would encourage them to call us here at Health Navigation at Dallas County Health and we can connect you to one of many, many good providers that can provide counselling over the phone.”

Cochran adds, the providers they’re connected with accept most forms of health insurance coverage, and she can help find a doctor that fits your needs and financial capabilities. To learn more about this and other COVID-19 topics, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.