Feeling anxious? Coronavirus support groups are helping people connect and cope

Every day, new numbers emerge detailing the toll coronavirus is taking on our communities, but there’s also an emotional cost.

Whether it’s COVID-19 survivors or tired parents stuck at home, people across the country are turning to online support groups to cope and connect with others during the pandemic.

Here’s how people are finding the support they need — and offering encouragement of their own.

Facebook groups

Kate Daly, 45, turned to a Facebook group for support after the onset of coronavirus symptoms in March, Yahoo Life reported. She said she was looking for others who’d had similar experiences.

“The purpose of a support group like this is to have a community where you feel safe with other people who are not going to judge you and who are not going to try to put you in a category,” she told the outlet.

The group was started by New York television producer Jay Sinrod after members in his family became ill due to the virus, Yahoo reported. He said he hoped the group would make others feel less isolated.

“There is absolutely no substitute for learning about COVID-19 from those suffering from the virus,” he told the outlet. “I want people to feel hope and comfort and to be assured they are not alone.”

Fiona Lowenstein, a writer in New York, also started a support group on the platform after she and a colleague fell ill in March, according to Yahoo. She said she saw a lack of online resources for people battling the virus.

“When you’re struggling to get your employer to understand why your recovery isn’t taking two weeks like the WHO says it should, validation from others experiencing the same struggles can be really helpful,” she told Yahoo.

It’s not just those who have fallen ill who are seeking support online. Some are joining groups to help manage fears and anxiety pertaining to the pandemic.

Julie Midura turned to a Facebook support group while social distancing at her home with her husband and three of her children, the Boston Herald reported.

Her 26-year-old daughter is working on the front line — she’s a respiratory therapist, according to the outlet.

“I just thought it was a great idea to allow people to be able to, in a non-judgmental way, share their experiences — not just the negative that’s going on but the uplifting things,” she told the Herald. “I feel like this pandemic forced all of us just to put things in perspective and simplify things.”

Mike Cherim and Matt Landry started the New England-based group in March to provide a “judgment-free zone” for friends to discuss their experiences during the pandemic, the Herald reported.

Group members share everything from difficult news, such as job lay offs, to more uplifting stories.

“I’m absolutely shocked — in a good way — that so many people have been able to share and express what they’re going through right now in a positive way that’s meant an enormous amount not only to them, but to us,” Landry told the Herald. “People want to be heard, and they’re not alone.”

Groups organized by health care providers

Support isn’t confined to Facebook. Some health care providers are also offering support services of their own.

Arkansas-based Arisa Health announced it would be launching free telehealth support groups for people in the state who’ve tested positive for coronavirus, according to a news release.

The program seeks to offer a place for people with the virus to “share their fears and anxiety, as well as gain strength and encouragement from each other,” sharing tips for how best to cope, the release said.

Arisa said the hour long meetings aren’t classified as group therapy or medical advice but that some who attend may be referred to counseling if necessary, the company said.

A mental health center in Oklahoma is offering similar programs.

The Mental Health Assistance Center in Tulsa has started support programs for frontline workers and first responders as well as for the general public, KOKI reported.

The programs aim to help these groups manage stress related to the coronavirus outbreak. The center also coordinates a support group for parents to help them manage stress associated with parenting and schooling their children at home during the pandemic.

To find a support group, contact your local health care provider or search “Coronavirus Support Group” on Facebook then click the groups tab.

This story was originally published May 3, 2020 at 10:42 AM with the headline "Feeling anxious? Coronavirus support groups are helping people connect and cope."