Gwangju City and Districts Conduct Over 9,400 COVID-19 Psychological Counseling Sessions

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 22nd that from March 18th this year to the 20th, a total of 9,452 psychological counseling sessions were conducted via phone and face-to-face by the COVID-19 Psychological Support Team and the district psychological support teams, with over 4,000 counseling sessions taking place just in July and August.

The COVID-19 Psychological Support Team, staffed by professional counselors available 24 hours a day, offers psychological counseling services without time restrictions. For high-risk groups requiring specialist consultation, assistance is provided by the ‘Ma-eum Geongang Juchui’ (Mind Health Primary Doctor), composed of community mental health specialists, serving as a great support for citizens seeking to heal their exhausted and distressed minds.

In fact, a self-employed individual, Mr. A, who recently called the COVID-19 Psychological Support Team, expressed feelings of depression, saying, “Due to business losses caused by COVID-19, my mood swings have worsened and I find it difficult to control my drinking.” After being connected to a face-to-face consultation with a Ma-eum Geongang Juchui, he is currently undergoing treatment in the psychiatry department.

In addition to psychological support such as counseling services to help citizens’ mental stability, Gwangju City is accelerating efforts to promote psychological quarantine in daily life to aid citizens’ mental recovery and return to normal life amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The main components of the psychological quarantine initiative promoted by the city include mental health self-assessments and strengthening 24-hour psychological counseling, free linkage support to Ma-eum Geongang Juchui for high-risk mental health groups, and a public campaign to overcome COVID depression.

Since last month, the Gwangju Metropolitan Mental Health Welfare Center website has established a ‘Corona Depression Overcome Ma-eum Ppojjak’ window to provide information on preventing and overcoming COVID depression, allowing any citizen to easily use the mental health counseling reservation service through self-assessment.

Additionally, the public COVID-19 overcoming campaign, the ‘Ma-eum Ppojjak Campaign’ (▲Checking in ▲Cheering up ▲Sharing experiences), has been underway since the 10th of last month. It helps citizens shake off negative emotions such as stigma, criticism, hatred, anger, guilt, and fear caused by COVID-19, and supports adaptation to the With-Corona era through neighborly comfort and encouragement.

In particular, promotional videos for the Ma-eum Ppojjak Campaign, 24-hour counseling phone service, and Ma-eum Geongang Juchui project have been produced and continuously promoted through various media such as TV public service advertisements, city electronic billboards, internet broadcasting, and bus arrival information systems since the 3rd, making these services easily accessible to all citizens.

Park Hyang, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau of the city, said, “Many citizens are struggling, feeling hopeless as their daily lives have been disrupted by COVID-19 or fearing infection. At times like these, taking care of one’s mental health and communicating and empathizing with those around you helps in mental recovery. Citizens who find it difficult to shake off worries and anxiety or have concerns that are hard to talk about are encouraged to seek help from mental health-related counseling phone lines that are open 24 hours a day.”