Concerned about preserving the mental health of the academic community during the new coronavirus pandemic, Unicamp is launching another support service this week, this time aimed at teachers. Psychological and Psychiatric support for Teachers, offered in partnership between the Psychological and Psychiatric Support Service (Sappe) and the Community Health Center (Cecom), will begin serving teachers next Tuesday, July 14th, and is already receiving demands via email: sappeass@unicamp.br. The services are exclusively for Unicamp teachers.
Initially, the service will be in a group. Based on the demands, as explained by the psychiatric doctor and coordinator of Sappe, Tânia Mello, individual services can be sent. “From the first appointment onwards, we will see what they need. Some conversations will be in groups because there are situations regarding the difficulties that are faced in general. If there is an individual need, we will also forward it according to demand.”
Tânia points out that the pandemic brings difficulties for everyone, which can be aggravating for mental health. For teachers, she emphasizes that changing the work routine abruptly also brings aggravating factors, which add to the uncertainties regarding the developments in the disease scenario. She cites, as an example, the changes from the face-to-face format of classes to the online format and the need to deal with losses of colleagues, in addition to factors that have been going on for some years, such as attacks on universities.
“We are in a scenario of many uncertainties regarding the conduct of the pandemic. Along with all of this, we know that the scientific and university communities have also been suffering a lot of stress, so if we put all of this together at the same time, we have many stressors that can be greatly accentuating people's anxiety. With everyone. Teachers are no exception. There are changes in routine that lead to changes in sleeping and eating patterns and all of this has an impact”, he assesses.
Furthermore, according to the Sappe coordinator, elderly teachers have to deal with the fact that they are one of the risk groups for Covid-19. Younger children, in many cases, need to adapt their routine with children. “Those who are older are in the risk group and have their anxieties. The youngest have families and young children and have to deal with working with children who are not going to school. Many women are busy with their workdays, without having help. So there is this suffering: many tasks at the same time without having all the resources available, which creates a lot of stress and is in a situation of extended uncertainty”.
How to access service?
To participate in the first service, which starts on Tuesday, July 14th, from 12pm to 13:30pm, you must send an email to sappeass@unicamp.br. Once contacted, a link will be sent to access the room.
Unicamp also has a psychological and psychiatric care aimed at students, via Sappe. Additionally, there is a mental health support network for Health professionals and para patients and family members of patients admitted to University hospitals due to Covid-19. All services are virtual, due to social distancing measures.
