Strengthening Support through CoVID-19
Dear 7 Cups Community,
We have been and are entering a challenging time as individuals, families, and regions face CoVID-19. Its a time of feeling isolated and concerned for your friends and family. But please remember that we are all in this together, you are not alone. I wanted to update you on the things we are doing to increase support around the world.
Our efforts started when a group in Wuhan reached out to see if we could help provide support for people in quarantine. We started the quarantine support forum to help answer questions and provide guidance in these unique circumstances. You can access the forum here. Lisa, our Clinical Director, wrote up an excellent post on what you can do to support people in quarantine here. As with most things, it is the simple things like listening, reaching out, and being consistently reliable that help quite a bit.
We have also re-started our translation efforts. Our goal is to translate the key parts of the site in the top 5 languages in the next few weeks. You can read more on this initiative here. If you are fluent in any of these languages and would like to help, then we would welcome your efforts to help us make faster progress.
Additionally, look for news from @Heather225 and @asilentobserver and @hope for a new CoVID-19 group support room that will open soon.
We think this will be a particularly challenging time as we collectively adapt to the new landscape, but believe there is space in this crisis to learn how to better cope and support one another as well. If you need support, then know that we are here for you.
If you would like to listen to others, then you can sign up to be a listener here.
If you have other thoughts and ideas on ways we can work together to come out of this stronger, then we would love to hear them. These ideas can happen on 7 Cups, on other sites, or offline. Please share ideas in our forum here.
Our community is hard at work to help scale support. Our team is thinking of you and your families and sending you beams. We believe that we will grow through this and be stronger on the other side.
Sincerely,
Glen
@GlenM
thanks for the info
Hi there fellow listeners! I
@Anaiviv01 , I found some links. Hope they are useful to you.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/coronavirus-anxiety.htm
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/03/fear
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html
https://www.ccef.org/anxiety-waiting-and-the-coronavirus/
( The last link is from CCEF)
Just a reminder amidst the hysteria concocted by externalities
- Just practice basic hygiene regardless daily
- If you were hit by something and recovered please ensure to be extra vigilant in not contracting it again and if bed ridden, please ensure that after the recovery to continue any routine procedures of painkillers as your immune system is still probably fighting it
Stay healthy and stay safe !
hi
@kjii Hi
I feel so bad, being locked in my apartment. I live in France, we are not allowed to go outside.
@Alheana- wishing you strength through these tough times from the usa- wa state- I live in a rural community and we are all out walking keeping social distance as usual. I have horses- so no choice but to be outdoors. Take care
@barncat
Thanks a lot <3
Enjoy !
salut @Alheana
ça-va?
take deep breath
yes same here dear ❤❤❤❤but everything will be ok soon ..don't worry it matters of time and everything will ok don'tworry .
do something wheil u in appartment. something or stuff u wanna do ....hobby 🌈❤anything.spent time with ur pet 🐶🐕🐩🐱🐈if u have one .talk on inst agram direct ..do everything u want it to do .play calm music that have nature do work out .
don't be sad hugs ❤❤❤🌈
don't forget to stay safe . stay beautiful ❤🌷🍀.
@kjii
Hello there! just wanted to say you have the nicest replies and are so kind. Reading your posts to other people just makes me smile! You have a presence like sunshine! Glad to see you here sharing your lovely spirit! 🌻🌞🌅
@Alheana. One thought has given me comfort is that history proves that survivors of any plague are the ones who stayed away from others. For my part I remember that all this is temporary and the benefits beat the alternative.
As an FYI, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine have set up a chatbot to aggregate resources for dealing with COVID-19. They answer user concerns and questions using validated and/or reputable sources of information (such as the Center for Disease Control). It might not be a bad resource to offer if we're asked about coronavirus: https://www.newvoicesnasem.org/jennifer-ai-chatbot. The CDC is also a wealth of COVID-specific recommendations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
My job (firefighting) requires me to keep working through this hard time but I'm willing to put other people's lives first before my own im glad that 7Cups is here to support me when i need it, stay safe everyone.
@CrazyFireFighter
Thank you for all you're doing.
I work in education here in the UK, and its a very testing time for everyone in the public sector.
@CrazyFireFighter
Oh my wonderful Fire Fighter friend,
you have no idea the deep respect I have for you, for what it is that you have chosen for your path in a self less effort to help us all, and the deep respect I have for others around you, your family! I'm so glad you found 7 cups in hopes that you can receive support here! I send you big *hugs* my friend!
@CrazyFireFighter if you need any role related support during this time we have an Emergency and Medical Personnel forum category here, which you are welcome to join us in!
https://www.7cups.com/forum/JobandCareerSupportCommunity_158/EmergencyMedicalPersonnelSupport_1978/
@CrazyFireFighter Thank you very much for your service.
@CrazyFireFighter keep on fighting your braveness and selflessness makes you a true hero! God has big blessings coming your way
This week has been really hard for me. I'm in NY (very upstate) and work as a PT in an outpatient clinic. My boyfriend is currently quarantined for another week about 4.5 hours away. My stress and already exisisting anxiety are off the chart at this point. Between having to decide who should come into the clinic and who to cancel and who treat based on who could be in danger if exposed and whether my boyfriend will be back before his quarantine is over. Not to mention, I live in a new city 2.5 hours away from friends and family. I need some support right now as my mental health has never been so close to a breaking point
@aimee015- my heart goes out to you. I am a retired health care worker- grateful not to make the decisions you are facing. Take care of yourself first and foremost. The thought that we will be facing weeks/months of altered life is daunting. We all need to redefine our support network- dearly needed now more than ever. Thank you for reaching out on this forum- you are not alone. Virtual hugs.
@barncat thank you for your kind words and support. (Virtual hug where I squeeze you too tight)
@aimee015- I got my first real hug yesterday in a while from my 87yo widower neighbor- I think we need to give each other a daily hug during this challenging time. OMG it felt so good.
@aimee015
i have anxiety too. Lost my job Friday. We made auto parts. The whole industry shut down. I am not union, no benefits, no income.
@Chickadee123
i hate to hear that! I'm lucky to still have my job but it is also hanging onto a thread and it may be last week to work for awhile so I understand that part and how terrible and scary it feels.
@GlenM
Thanks for the information!
@GlenM I am not comfortable with the covid-19 support group rule if no passive religious comments. It is like having a close loved one and seeing that in a chatroom it is forbidden to even passively talk about this loved one. Like, there is no room even to mention your loved one, nor your activities with Him, not how He has helped you in this hard time :(
@DragonView2 Some people find talk about religion triggering because of religious abuse; and it's often a sensitive topic that can start arguments between people with slightly different beliefs. It seems better to avoid it. You can talk about religion in most other places in your life. Talking about it here would mean a lot of people couldn't come here for support, which wouldn't be fair to them.
@resourcefulPond1641. I agree 100% if I heard any of that I would've dropped out and deleted the app many thanks for saying so
@DragonView2 I hear you and you could include them in a general statement about all the support you received without mentioning them by name. I talk about how I have my silent hours and time to reflect within without mentioning religion per se. It can be done.
@GlenM
As for me I have a family and we are quarantined a bit. Schools closed, shops, malls, gyms, only thing really open is grocery stores and pharmacies but even the hours are restricted and for good reason.
I guess I saw this coming early on, and I thought about people being isolated and how important 7 cups could be during this time, even more than I have ever seen in my time here.
I guess I'm someone that keeps a brave face and remains positive for others. I've been doing this for my family, my fellow listeners. I have to tell fellow listeners to refrain from the Covid discussion in the LSR but there is a room open for that now.
For me today, it was a great day. I put down the bricks and I walked over to the Covid room. I felt as if that, if I am asking others to go there, I should see first hand where it is that they are going. It really is a great place to be to chat. If felt good to share how I'm feeling, just say it out loud. I didn't have to be brave there for anyone ; not a family member, not a fellow listener, not a member. I said how I feel and there are wonderful and receptive people there. I felt some true love and care for me from the people in our community.
That was a first time for me entering a room and putting all of the bricks down and recieving and it was a good feeling! 
I'm usually the one giving help. Thanks for the room, the quick response to erecting it.