Gangbuk-gu Residents' Psychological Counseling to Overcome 'Corona Blue'

Gangbuk-gu Mental Health Welfare Center Forms Support Team with Staff and Specialists Available for Phone and In-Person Consultations from 9 AM to 6 PM on Weekdays

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Kyum-soo) is providing psychological support to residents experiencing psychological difficulties due to COVID-19 and to isolated individuals facing hardships due to disconnection from the outside world.

The district has formed a support team consisting of staff from the Gangbuk-gu Mental Health Welfare Center and specialists to prevent stress and trauma caused by the spread of infectious diseases.

The support team monitors the mental health status of the subjects through conversations and helps them find psychological stability. If the client is in a high-risk group or requires professional treatment, they will be connected to psychological support centers and medical institutions, and continuous monitoring will be conducted even after treatment.

For those in self-quarantine, psychological counseling is conducted by phone from the time a center staff member is assigned until the end of the quarantine period. If the individual wishes to continue receiving help after quarantine ends, counseling can be provided thereafter as well.

Those interested can contact the Gangbuk-gu Mental Health Welfare Center. It operates on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and both phone and face-to-face counseling are available.

Mayor Park Kyum-soo of Gangbuk-gu said, “As COVID-19 prolongs, we must focus on psychological prevention as much as physical quarantine,” adding, “We plan to provide continuous psychological support services so that residents struggling with depression, lethargy, and stress caused by infection risks can maintain a stable daily life.”

The district operates a KakaoTalk channel (search ‘Gangbuk-gu Mental Health Welfare Center’ on KakaoTalk or visit https://pf.kakao.com/_xjhRBxb) under the supervision of the Gangbuk-gu Mental Health Welfare Center to provide various information such as mental health guidelines.