Don’t suffer in silence

By Nancy Black

It came over me like a wave from one of those hurricanes finally hitting the shore. I was so sad. One minute, I had been sitting at my computer feeling fine, busily laying out this week’s newspaper, and the next I was overcome with sadness. Maybe it was the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or the fourth anniversary this past week of my own mother’s death. But, for whatever reason, I felt a tug inside my heart that seemed to slowly pull my insides into a black hole of depression knotted in my stomach.

Fortunately, I work with a fabulous therapist who, throughout the years, has given me coping tools to use during troubling times. And, boy howdy, these are sure as heck troubling times. I know now that it is normal to feel sadness or anger, or any other range of emotions we humans have. That is what makes us human.

If you’re feeling a range of emotions that may seem overwhelming during this pandemic, or just with life in general — COVID or not — please seek out help like I did. Mental Health America of Greater Dallas is offering free, anonymous mental health screenings. They also have workplace mental health programs and employee support guides. 

You can visit their website at mhadallas.org. 

The North Texas Behavioral Health Authority (NTBHA) has also launched a 24/7 Mental Health Support Line for “individuals experiencing stress, anxiety, grief and worry during and after the crisis.” Call 833-251-2544. Here are some other helpful numbers: National Crisis Hotline 1-800-273-8255, Disaster Distress Hotline 1-800-985-5990 and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Don’t be afraid to be human.