Joshua C. Morganstein, MD

is Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster.

Videos

If we acknowledge our feelings of grief and loss over the pandemic, we can begin to come together, encourage hope, find meaning, and stay connected. Dr Morganstein talks on this. 

Loss and Managing the Crisis at Hand

Dr Morganstein, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster, talks about where psychiatrists can get COVID-19 information for their practices and patients and what resources are available.

 (APA) has a resource page with a broad range of helpful materials for families, providers, community leaders. There is information about helping homebound children, supporting people through isolation quarantine, provider self-care, and a number of other topics.

The APA also has information on their home page to learn about telepsychiatry services. There are also upcoming educational and other activities to assist APA members in caring for their patients and supporting the health of nation.

Resources for Health Care and Community Leaders

Psychiatric Times’ Resources for Psychiatrists

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Podcasts

Is there special guidance for APA members regarding COVID-19 and their practices/patients? What resources are available?

PsychPearls: Supporting the Health of the Nation During the Coronavirus Pandemic

How can psychiatrists practice self-care and avoid burnout? How can mental health professionals balance the needs to protect oneself and one’s family while caring for patients during this pandemic? Here to discuss is Joshua Morganstein, MD, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster.

Self-care will be very important for both the general public as well as psychiatrists and other health care personnel. People are understandably concerned and feeling distracted with a lot of their attention on managing the crisis at hand. It is easy for self-care to be overlooked at a time like this, but it becomes particularly important.

Getting adequate sleep and eating and staying hydrated are going to allow people to think more clearly, solve problems, and respond to challenges more effectively. When parents provide for their own self-care, they are better able to care for the needs of their children.

Exercise is a helpful way to lower stress. It doesn't have to be in a gym or other facility. Going for a walk or other outdoor activities maybe even as a family provides an opportunity to connect with each other as well as neighbors, share ideas, stay close as a family, and just be reminded that we are all in this together.

Articles

PsychPearls: COVID-19, A Critical Time for Self-Care

Dr Morganstein, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster, talks about special measures that psychiatrists should take for their patients during this time of uncertainty.

Suicidal thinking and behaviors as well as other mental health conditions should be managed as they would at any other time. Psychiatrists should certainly encourage people to stay on medications, and this also means avoiding waiting until the last minute to get a refill.

Psychiatrists might also review their patient records to identify patients that may be a risk for worsening symptoms during the pandemic such as people with:

• active or poorly controlled illness concerns
	• delusions
	• obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors
	• previous trauma
	• stressor disorders
	• anxiety
	• substance use

Additional contact with these patients perhaps using telehealth as needed might identify people who need additional assistance before a crisis occurs. There are likely to be challenges with the use of impatient facilities as a result of COVID-19 and proactively taking extra steps to help patients maintain their functioning and avoid having to enter health care facilities will be a very important health intervention.

PsychPearls: Identifying At-Risk Patients During the Pandemic

Dr Joshua Morganstein, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster, answers this question: There is a lot of panic, and anxiety/stress is on the rise, even in people without mental illness. How can psychiatrists advise patients to manage this stress and to remain calm?

How can psychiatrists advise patients to manage their stress and to remain calm?

PsychPearls: Battling Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

We have invited Dr Joshua Morganstein, Chair of the 

 Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of 

, to provide suggestions about helping patients cope with social distancing and loneliness.

What can psychiatrists do to help their patients cope with self-quarantine and isolation practices?

What can psychiatrists do to help their patients cope with self-quarantine and isolation practices? More in this podcast.