The premise for the new website is that the outbreak of Covid-19 has not only triggered a social and health crisis, but also an emotional one. The project includes initiatives from organisations on the Barcelona Mental Health Board, district health boards and other organisations offers specific self-cure strategies. The website is designed to make the most of this wealth of specialisation, diversity of knowledge and experience among professionals and organisations by strengthening a common framework of communication, dissemination and a shared way of doing things.

The site includes an online activity programme with group instruction and training, as well as digital resources such as documents, guides, videos and audio files. The resources are intended to help tackle the most common psychological situations, such as anxiety, stress, difficulty relating to others, insomnia and profound sadness.

Situations which can be addressed include:

• mourning and the loss of loved ones
• overburdening due to the care of others or continued coexistence with ill or dependent people
• prolonged situations of physical isolation
• distress over loss of jobs and income
• feelings relating to missed opportunities
• concerns over an uncertain future
• skills-building tools for parents of children and teenagers

While the initiative is aimed at the general public, it is specifically intended for people facing particularly difficult situations resulting from Covid-19, such as women, the elderly, young people and teenagers, as well as people who are active in support networks, professional teams and volunteers with local services.

During the pandemic

The various organisations working on the ground in mental health have detected an increase in mental health pathologies. This trend has also been identified with the input from organisations belonging to the Barcelona Mental Health Board and the 14,000+ calls handled by the various telephone support lines.

Phone support:

• 72% were women and 58% were aged between 40 and 69.
• More than 700 cases were handled by services for young people, such as Aquí T’Escoltem, the Centre per a Famílies Adolescents and Konsulta’m.

Surveys by the Municipal Data Office also show that:

• The analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on mental health ranges from fear and anxiety over possible infection and its implications, to difficulties faced by professionals and teams in carrying out their work normally.
• Half of people found the lockdown tough or very tough and as many as 15% went through lockdown alone.
• There has been an increase in cases of overburdened carers, a strong impact in terms of deaths and mourning, worsening of isolation and loneliness among the elderly, an increase in symptoms among people with mental disorders and addictions and an increased risk of vulnerability resulting from some basic needs no longer being covered.