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Tips for family mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

May 29, 2020

As family members experience a complex range of emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say it is important to pay close attention to mental health and well-being.

Dr. Karen Wang, adolescent in-patient psychiatrist, explains that as families continue to cope with changes such as self-isolation, lack of routine, concerns about illness and job loss, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are increasing concerns. She shares insight into what parents and caregivers can do to help children and adolescents in an interview with 100 Huntley Street.

“For a lot of young children, they won’t be able to articulate necessarily what their emotions are, but they’ll express how they’re feeling through their physical symptoms,” says Dr. Wang. “They may complain of things like headaches, stomach aches, of being dizzy or nauseated.”

Older children who can express how they’re feeling may be more direct. “They may say they don’t feel well. They don’t want to do anything. They’ve lost interest in school or other fun activities,” explains Dr. Wang. “In more serious cases, when children are talking about feeling like everything’s hopeless, like life has no purpose or there’s no meaning, or they actually want to hurt themselves, parents should not hesitate to reach out for help; that means calling a helpline or bringing the child to a local hospital.”

It is also important for families to acknowledge how they are feeling and share that with one another, she adds.

“It is normal to experience a lot of complex emotions in this pandemic,” says Dr. Wang. Some practical strategies to counteract the anxiety and isolation are to maintain a sense of rhythm and routine to one’s daily life while also looking proactively for ways to contribute to one’s community and foster connection during these difficult times.

» Watch the full interview

For more resources and information from Sunnybrook experts read our blog.


If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or in severe emotional distress, please call 911 or visit your local emergency department.

If you feel like you are in crisis or need somebody to talk to, community resources are here to help.

Kids Help Phone

  • 1 800 668 6868 (voice, 24 hours, 7 days a week)
  • Text: 686868 (24 hours, 7 days a week)

Crisis Services Canada

  • 1-833-456-4566 (24-hour, toll-free)
  • Text: 45645 (4 p.m. – midnight ET)