How frontline workers can take care of their mental health, avoid burnout

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TEMPLE, Texas — Medical professionals have been on the front lines to fight COVID-19 for almost a year. According to multiple studies, it has taken a toll on people’s mental health. In this week’s “Your Best Life,” 6 News Anchor Leslie Draffin spoke with a Dallas-based clinical psychologist about how to combat burnout and stress, especially if you’re a frontline worker.

According to a mental health survey of healthcare workers who help fight COVID-19 right now, 93% are stressed, 86% are experiencing anxiety, 77% report frustration, 76% are exhausted and burned out and 75% are overwhelmed.

“We’re not usually part of the story,” said Dr. Kevin Gilliland, a Dallas-based clinical psychologist. “There are times in our life that we’re going through something similar to our patients. But now, everybody that comes in, we’re all part of the same stories. We’re all wrestling with some of the same issues and so that really starts to take a toll on us because those are the conversations that we have every day at work, and then we go home and have the same conversation so it’s like we don’t get away from it.”

Dr. Gilliland has helped clients battle burnout during the pandemic. He said, “It’s always physical and it’s always psychological. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living. The symptoms look the same.”

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Mental Health Checklist

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Quarantine can be tough on your mental and physical health. Dr. Kevin Gilliland joined us with a mental health checklist you can run through to keep yourself healthy and happy during these times.

Watch the video here.

The ‘Coronasomnia’ Effect Leading to Increase in Sleep Disorders

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Dr. Kevin Gilliland, clinical psychologist and Executive Director at Innovation360, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to break down the spike in insomnia occurring all over the world due to uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Gilliland discusses the mental and physical consequences of a lack of sleep, and gives tips for how we can put ourselves in the best position to get a good night’s rest.

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3 tools to remain mentally, physically healthy | Your Best Life

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DALLAS — In this week’s “Your Best Life,” 6 News Anchor Leslie Draffin spoke with a Dallas-based clinical psychologist about the three tools we all can use to remain physically and mentally healthy.

Dr. Kevin Gilliland is a Dallas-based clinical psychologist with over 20-years-experience managing mental health.

“This is not an event for us to get through. This is a change in life that we have to adjust to. We have to be creative and we have to be willing to do some things that are outside our normal routine.” Gilliland said.

He said there are three keys to remaining healthy right now.

“Sleep is power, food is fuel and movement is medicine.”

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America said roughly 40 million Americans over age 18 suffer from anxiety. According to Dr. Gilliland, the first thing that might help is better sleep.

 

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Meet Kevin Gilliland | Business Owner, Psychologist & Author

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We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Gilliland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It was really basic, the healthcare system for mental health issues simply doesn’t offer us the services that many people need. I’ve been fortunate to work for and with some great people and organizations in various roles of healthcare, from UT Southwestern to Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas and seen some of the good things about our system and some of the tremendous needs. There were really only two options for people, go to a hospital or a residential program for up to 30 days or seeing a counselor one time a week. While that addresses some of the needs, it also leaves out a lot of people that don’t need that much or need a little more. We help people that are stuck and either need a little more than talking once a week or a lot less than leaving a job or family for 30 days.

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Why Talking About Drug and Alcohol Addiction is Crucial During the Pandemic

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Drug and alcohol-related overdoses have been on the rise since the onset of the pandemic. Addiction specialist Dr. Kevin Gilliland joins LX News to explain why talking about addiction is so important to help understand the root of the problem.

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The Stigma Around Psychiatric Medication Is Forcing People to Suffer In Silence

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Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist in Dallas, believes some of this shame and misinformation exists because “not all diagnoses are equal.” There’s a hierarchy of sorts when it comes to how we look at different conditions. “People are more than willing to talk about their high blood pressure, but a lot less willing to talk about their STD; similarly, people have become more willing to talk about anxiety or mood issues but less likely to talk about addiction issues. That has to do with perception, bias, fear, experience, and at some level, stigma.”

This stigma not only prevents people from seeking the mental health care and treatment they need in the first place, but also stops them from talking to their doctor about (or even considering) prescription meds, keeps them from filling that prescription, and stops them from taking it continually as prescribed.

There’s more than just anecdotal evidence, either: Surveys (shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Psychological Association (APA) and published in The Mental Health Clinician — just to cite a few) find the majority of people have witnessed biased and negative views regarding mental health-related issues, or feel that way themselves. At the same time, if we actually treated these issues, our entire world (literally and figuratively) would improve, says Gilliland.

Where did this stigma come from, and why are we still dealing with it in 2020, when diagnoses (and prescriptions) for mental health conditions have increased exponentially? Because stigma, shame, and misinformation at large serve as massive barriers between patients and fundamental healthcare, we need to address this head-on to figure out what we can do about it.

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‘A New Way of Life’: Returning to College During COVID-19

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As the fall semester quickly approaches, college students in the U.S. may feel a mix of emotions while trying to determine how to socialize, handle changing academic formats, and prioritize their mental health. College is already a demanding time for students, and the coronavirus pandemic has been a new and unexpected stressor since the spring.

According to a 2020 study, college students reported increased anxiety and depression during the onset of COVID-19 compared to similar time frames in past academic years.

“This is not an event to tweak, it’s a new way of life to create,” says Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D., executive director of Innovation360, an outpatient counseling service in Dallas, TX. “Be mindful that there is a bug out there and you need to take appropriate precautions—socially distance, wash your hands, and sanitize the surfaces—but you absolutely can have friendships and experiences and learning opportunities that are wonderful.”

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COVID-19 Is Changing the Way we Communicate—Here’s How

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“Communication is hard enough when things are relatively quiet in our lives but in the midst of a crisis or stress, emotions make communication challenging and require a great deal of effort to ensure that misunderstandings are minimized,” explains licensed clinical psychologist, Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D., Executive Director of Innovation 360.

Now is the time to be flexible and adaptable when it comes to how we express ourselves to others. It’s crucial we show compassion and kindness to each other as we maneuver through these changes.

And most importantly, be willing to advocate for individual needs, whether they are for yourself or someone else.

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6 Tips For Squashing Negative Self-Talk and Feeling More Confident in Your Own Skin

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Everyone struggles with body image at some point, but it’s typically something you can work through with some help. If you’re in the habit of tearing yourself down, you first need to acknowledge that it’s a problem before you can begin reflecting more positively on the parts you’re so quick to criticize. With time and practice, you might even learn to love and respect your body. If that seems like an impossible task, these therapist tips can help get you started. They’re simple but effective in helping you reframe those negative thoughts and get to a healthier place. Keep reading to see them all.