Suwon Residents Suffering from Psychological Distress due to COVID-19, Try Online Psychological Counseling

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] For those confirmed as COVID-19 patients or close contacts, the period after quarantine is lifted becomes more difficult. This is because they experience severe psychological distress due to critical eyes from those around them.

The Suwon Happiness Mental Health Welfare Center is providing psychological counseling services for residents in self-isolation and those experiencing psychological difficulties after quarantine is lifted.

From the 7th of last month, the center operated a telephone counseling service. From the 16th of this month, it launched the 'COVID-19 Online Psychological Counseling Service'. Online psychological counseling is conducted through a 'Kakao Talk open chat room'. Users can search for 'Suwon COVID-19 Psychological Counseling' in the Kakao Talk search bar, add the channel, and then send a message to a counselor.

One-on-one counseling with experts is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. The service is available not only to residents in self-isolation but also to general citizens.

The 'Kakao Talk open chat room' is available for self-isolated residents living in Suwon.

When the center sends a text message to self-isolated residents requesting their participation, they can enter by inputting a password. Self-isolated residents can anonymously share their experiences.

Mental health professionals including doctors and clinical psychologists as well as public health officials participate in the open chat room to provide advice to self-isolated residents in need of support and offer accurate information related to COVID-19.

Telephone counseling continues as well. Mental health professionals provide psychological counseling to self-isolated residents and general citizens experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress due to COVID-19.

The Happiness Mental Health Welfare Center informs all self-quarantine subjects in the city about counseling services via text message. Services are available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays (031-254-5737).

Professionals assess the counselee's mental health condition, and if they are determined to be high-risk, they are referred to relevant institutions (hospitals) to receive appropriate treatment.

From 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, users can access the '24-hour hotline' operated by the Gyeonggi Province Mental Health Welfare Center.

The Suwon Happiness Mental Health Welfare Center also provides a 'happiness kit' consisting of items such as a 'positivity bracelet that brings happiness' usable for 21 days and a 'mind organization notebook' to self-quarantine subjects.

A center official said, "Citizens in self-isolation experience significant fear, and many cases of trauma (post-traumatic stress disorder) are seen even after quarantine is lifted," adding, "We will actively support citizens facing difficulties due to COVID-19 so they can return to their daily lives." The official further urged, "Do not be afraid, and please use the counseling services."