Posted 17.06.2020

A NEW virtual wellbeing hub to promote positive mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has been launched.

The Department for Communities and the Department of Health have partnered with 15 leading mental and wellbeing health charities and the Healthy Living Centre Alliance representing 28 local Healthy Living Centres to focus on promoting mental health and wellbeing during and after the COVID-19 emergency. 

A UK wide study involving Queen's University Belfast has explored the psychological impact of lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic on people here.  The survey of over 2,500 people  included 470 people from NI of which one third have been found to meet the criteria for anxiety (30%) and depression (33%), and one in five (20%) meet the criteria for COVID-19 related PTSD due to the current pandemic. 

The CovidWellbeingNI partnership is calling on people:

• To acknowledge how they are feeling and coping at this time
• Take  positive action to look after their mental health
• Reach out for help and support.

The online wellbeing hub at https://www.mindingyourhead.info/ draws together information, self-help guides and ways to find support on a range of mental health and wellbeing issues.