Self-care must be priority for mental health professionals

As we enter spring this year, there is a sense of hope in the air that was not present last year.

Vaccines are beginning to roll out and there are indications that everyone who wants a vaccine should have at least their first shot by the end of June. The premiers of the four Atlantic provinces have announced that the Atlantic Bubble will be re-instated in April if present trends continue, meaning travel between our provinces can restart without the need for a twoweek isolation period.

Despite this, variant strains of COVID-19 remain a real risk to disrupt these plans by creating a third wave of infections, which would be much worse than the previous two. We all need to take extra care in the weeks and months ahead or we risk extending this period of stress and anxiety which has impacted all of us.

There has been a great deal of recognition over this pandemic about the impact on our mental health as we deal with lockdown isolation. People have been encouraged to develop and practice selfcare to cope with the anxiety and to reach out for help from mental health supports if they are struggling.

Those who are already dealing with mental health issues have been disproportionately affected, as their usual supports have been disrupted and services that were usually available in person have been forced to pivot to online.

While this has helped, it isn’t the same as seeing people in-person and this applies to both the person seeking help and the helper.

An issue that hasn’t received a lot of attention is the impact the pandemic has had on the people who provide the much-needed mental health supports. Like others, we have been forced to be creative in how we stay connected with the people we work with while being aware of the extra impact on them and the knowledge that for many, online services just don’t give them what they need.

There has been a higher demand for mental health services from a broader range of the community and we, like the rest of you, have needed to deal with the anxiety of the disruptions on our personal lives and loved ones on top of the people we provide care for.

It has created a situation in which caregivers are at a higher risk for developing “compassion fatigue”. This is a form of mental burnout that happens when caregivers get overwhelmed with the number of problems they are being asked to deal with and may not be able to respond in their usual compassionate and professional manner.

It’s critical caregivers practice self-care regularly, learn to set limits on what they can offer, and permit themselves to take time away from the stresses of work. I just returned to work after taking two weeks of annual leave; I didn’t go anywhere or do anything special, as St. John’s remained in lockdown during most of this time. I just relaxed, read some books, got lots of outdoor activity and gave my brain a break from focussing on helping others with their problems.

I’m not complaining, as I love my job and want the best for those I work with. I look forward to the summer with the hope that all of the services we provide at my workplace can be provided inperson to those who need this human contact.

I’ve learned that to be effective, I need to stay connected with my own needs. This is essential for me, and I believe mental health services are an essential service that needs to be recognized as such as we move into the post-COVID era.