Flattening the Mental Health Curve
William Halsey, fleet admiral for the US Navy in the Pacific during World War II, once stated that there are no great people – only great challenges that ordinary people are forced by circumstances to meet. He would know. Halsey was no stranger to great challenges, and certainly no stranger to “ordinary” people as he led the US Navy through many decisive battles to victory. He saw first-hand the incredible challenges that “ordinary” people were able to meet. He also saw the cost of meeting those challenges; the price that was paid, the stress disorders that resulted and the lives affected. Just as ordinary people can rise to meet great challenges, the very greatness of those challenges often takes a corresponding toll on those who meet them – and it is incredibly important to know how to cope.
You may already know where I’m going with this. As our world has completely turned upside down in the past few weeks, we have been “forced by circumstances” to meet significant challenges. In this new uncertain world, we are essentially holed up in isolation in our homes. We have elderly family members we are worried about – yet cannot visit. We have children we are trying to help learn from home (not super easy just because we’re teachers). We face lineups and shortages at the grocery store. We worry about all the people getting laid off and how those families will be affected. In addition to all this, we are just now learning about the tragedy that occurred in Nova Scotia and which continues to unfold in the news, bringing profound sadness and heartbreak to us all.
These are trying times.
Teachers are facing challenges in their profession as well. Learning new ways to communicate with students, parents, and even with each other; developing new materials in very short order so students could have meaningful learning opportunities at home; figuring out how to write report cards after an interrupted school year and incomplete units; and putting more time than ever into preparation, responding to emails, recording videos, and writing all sorts of documents. With each new development, announcement and change in expectations, teachers have risen to the challenge. All while also working from home and looking after our own families during this crisis.
While Halsey’s statement would imply that teachers are “ordinary people,” I initially thought that, considering all that teachers are doing, I would contest this observation. I even wanted to suggest that teachers are not ordinary at all, but rather superheroes who simply shine when faced with incredible challenges. Just like healthcare workers who tackle this virus head on. Just like grocery store workers who keep working to ensure we have food. Just like truck drivers who travel across the continent to bring essential items to us. Just like the parents who are putting in all kinds of work to help their children learn from home. Just like ... well …. Just like everyone else.
Mmm. Perhaps we’re not superheroes after all. Perhaps – just like everyone else in our communities, we are just being forced by circumstances to meet great challenges.
The truth of the matter is that teachers are no closer to being superheroes than anyone else – and just like everyone else, we must be mindful of the toll that these trying times are taking on us. I would venture to guess that if the levels of anxiety, stress, and mental health concerns were to be graphed, they would follow a curve very similar to the cases of COVID-19. And just like we are taking important steps to mitigate the outbreak of COVID-19, we must also take steps to mitigate anxiety, stress, and mental health concerns.
In other words, we must flatten the mental health curve.
But how do we do that? Especially while we are isolated at home, unable to visit friends or family, go to a movie theatre, enjoy a good meal at a restaurant, participate in sports, or any other number of activities that help promote good mental health? I’m no counsellor, and I cannot offer advice on personal mental health issues, but as far as being a teacher is concerned, I believe there are some things that we can do to reduce stress and anxiety - and perhaps even improve our mental health.
First and foremost, we must understand how our professional boundaries have been impacted. With COVID-19, education changed dramatically and quickly. One day we were doing things normally, and the next we were at home working hard and long hours to implement a model of education never tried before. We were thrust into it without the luxury of time or the benefit of longstanding and proven parameters. Determined to do whatever it took, we gave little thought to parameters or boundaries and threw ourselves into it. But now it appears we are in this for the long haul, and the reality is that the long hours and feverish pace set in the first couple of weeks is not sustainable. Our “classrooms” are now in our homes, and traditional boundaries have faded into our laptops and smart phones. There are no bells to signify the end of the school day, and it is easy to get sucked into this virtual classroom and forget to come out. It is equally difficult not to go back in at the sound of every notification.
So perhaps one of the most important things teachers can do to flatten the mental health curve is to impose restrictions on their “class” time. That is not to suggest eliminating flexibility – we still need to make this work – but rather to set aside time when we are not “at school.” We need to make sure we take lunch breaks and step away from the work for a brief time. Distinguish between prep time and student time, so there is adequate time to prep. We must put clear time constraints around our availability for emails, chat, video conferences, etc.
We need to find balance. On one hand is the necessity to set boundaries to separate from our work. On the other is using the time afforded by balance wisely – such as the importance of investing in relationships with loved ones. Find ways to spend time with the people in your personal life who are important to you. Some of these may be family members you live with, while others will be people you haven’t seen in awhile because of COVID-19. Get in touch with them. Connect!
We also need to be aware of activities that enable us to reduce stress and anxiety. Be deliberate and mindful in doing these things while you are at home. It could be as simple as walking the dog, exercising, baking, reading – or whatever works for you. Are these things really going to flatten the mental health curve? Very likely. There are far too many factors involved in our mental health for it to be as simple as that, but they will certainly help.
If mental health issues devolve beyond the effectiveness of balance and mindfulness activities, then it is important to get help. Our provincial government has already recognized the impact that COVID-19 is having on mental health. Knowing that people cannot leave their homes to get the support they need, they are proactively providing support through the Mental Health Virtual Therapy Program, online at
https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/bewell/virtualtherapy.html.
The Manitoba Teachers’ Society, long in advance of this pandemic, established an online mechanism for teachers to get help through the Lifespeak Wellness Platform which can be accessed at http://www.mbteach.org/mtscms/2019/01/07/lifespeak-wellness-platform/.
And if there is a mental health crisis, there are emergency services available through contacts posted online at https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mh/crisis.html.
Ultimately, I believe Halsey was right. We need to recognize that we are indeed ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. We must accept that meeting these great challenges will take a toll on our mental health – and then face the additional challenge of reducing that toll. And just like the key strategies in flattening the COVID-19 curve are proactive and preventative, our strategies for flattening the mental health curve must also be proactive and preventative.
By Wendell Head
April 2020
You may already know where I’m going with this. As our world has completely turned upside down in the past few weeks, we have been “forced by circumstances” to meet significant challenges. In this new uncertain world, we are essentially holed up in isolation in our homes. We have elderly family members we are worried about – yet cannot visit. We have children we are trying to help learn from home (not super easy just because we’re teachers). We face lineups and shortages at the grocery store. We worry about all the people getting laid off and how those families will be affected. In addition to all this, we are just now learning about the tragedy that occurred in Nova Scotia and which continues to unfold in the news, bringing profound sadness and heartbreak to us all.
These are trying times.
Teachers are facing challenges in their profession as well. Learning new ways to communicate with students, parents, and even with each other; developing new materials in very short order so students could have meaningful learning opportunities at home; figuring out how to write report cards after an interrupted school year and incomplete units; and putting more time than ever into preparation, responding to emails, recording videos, and writing all sorts of documents. With each new development, announcement and change in expectations, teachers have risen to the challenge. All while also working from home and looking after our own families during this crisis.
While Halsey’s statement would imply that teachers are “ordinary people,” I initially thought that, considering all that teachers are doing, I would contest this observation. I even wanted to suggest that teachers are not ordinary at all, but rather superheroes who simply shine when faced with incredible challenges. Just like healthcare workers who tackle this virus head on. Just like grocery store workers who keep working to ensure we have food. Just like truck drivers who travel across the continent to bring essential items to us. Just like the parents who are putting in all kinds of work to help their children learn from home. Just like ... well …. Just like everyone else.
Mmm. Perhaps we’re not superheroes after all. Perhaps – just like everyone else in our communities, we are just being forced by circumstances to meet great challenges.
The truth of the matter is that teachers are no closer to being superheroes than anyone else – and just like everyone else, we must be mindful of the toll that these trying times are taking on us. I would venture to guess that if the levels of anxiety, stress, and mental health concerns were to be graphed, they would follow a curve very similar to the cases of COVID-19. And just like we are taking important steps to mitigate the outbreak of COVID-19, we must also take steps to mitigate anxiety, stress, and mental health concerns.
In other words, we must flatten the mental health curve.
But how do we do that? Especially while we are isolated at home, unable to visit friends or family, go to a movie theatre, enjoy a good meal at a restaurant, participate in sports, or any other number of activities that help promote good mental health? I’m no counsellor, and I cannot offer advice on personal mental health issues, but as far as being a teacher is concerned, I believe there are some things that we can do to reduce stress and anxiety - and perhaps even improve our mental health.
First and foremost, we must understand how our professional boundaries have been impacted. With COVID-19, education changed dramatically and quickly. One day we were doing things normally, and the next we were at home working hard and long hours to implement a model of education never tried before. We were thrust into it without the luxury of time or the benefit of longstanding and proven parameters. Determined to do whatever it took, we gave little thought to parameters or boundaries and threw ourselves into it. But now it appears we are in this for the long haul, and the reality is that the long hours and feverish pace set in the first couple of weeks is not sustainable. Our “classrooms” are now in our homes, and traditional boundaries have faded into our laptops and smart phones. There are no bells to signify the end of the school day, and it is easy to get sucked into this virtual classroom and forget to come out. It is equally difficult not to go back in at the sound of every notification.
So perhaps one of the most important things teachers can do to flatten the mental health curve is to impose restrictions on their “class” time. That is not to suggest eliminating flexibility – we still need to make this work – but rather to set aside time when we are not “at school.” We need to make sure we take lunch breaks and step away from the work for a brief time. Distinguish between prep time and student time, so there is adequate time to prep. We must put clear time constraints around our availability for emails, chat, video conferences, etc.
We need to find balance. On one hand is the necessity to set boundaries to separate from our work. On the other is using the time afforded by balance wisely – such as the importance of investing in relationships with loved ones. Find ways to spend time with the people in your personal life who are important to you. Some of these may be family members you live with, while others will be people you haven’t seen in awhile because of COVID-19. Get in touch with them. Connect!
We also need to be aware of activities that enable us to reduce stress and anxiety. Be deliberate and mindful in doing these things while you are at home. It could be as simple as walking the dog, exercising, baking, reading – or whatever works for you. Are these things really going to flatten the mental health curve? Very likely. There are far too many factors involved in our mental health for it to be as simple as that, but they will certainly help.
If mental health issues devolve beyond the effectiveness of balance and mindfulness activities, then it is important to get help. Our provincial government has already recognized the impact that COVID-19 is having on mental health. Knowing that people cannot leave their homes to get the support they need, they are proactively providing support through the Mental Health Virtual Therapy Program, online at
https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/bewell/virtualtherapy.html.
The Manitoba Teachers’ Society, long in advance of this pandemic, established an online mechanism for teachers to get help through the Lifespeak Wellness Platform which can be accessed at http://www.mbteach.org/mtscms/2019/01/07/lifespeak-wellness-platform/.
And if there is a mental health crisis, there are emergency services available through contacts posted online at https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mh/crisis.html.
Ultimately, I believe Halsey was right. We need to recognize that we are indeed ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. We must accept that meeting these great challenges will take a toll on our mental health – and then face the additional challenge of reducing that toll. And just like the key strategies in flattening the COVID-19 curve are proactive and preventative, our strategies for flattening the mental health curve must also be proactive and preventative.
By Wendell Head
April 2020