Afraid to die with Stroke & Covid-19

Hi Avaniterg,

I am sorry to hear about your friend’s health problems. This must be such a stressful time for him, and how he’s feeling must be hard to hear for you as his friend.

Your care and concern for him really came through in your post and I thank you for reaching out. Having supportive friends like yourself is so important through this tough time. It can be hard to find the best way to respond in this situation which is still quite unknown to us, but here are some ideas that may help.

You mentioned him being afraid to die of COVID-19. These are very difficult feelings to talk about. You could tell him that he is having a very normal response to what he is going through. It is okay to feel this way, but it is also important for him to try to find a way to stay calm. At this point, you could tell him that there are people he can talk to such as the Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service. This service provides information, advice and strategies to help people manage their wellbeing and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the link to the service. Encourage him to call 1800 512 348 to speak to one of the trained counsellors.

Another really important message to pass on to your friend is to follow all of the advice from his medical team. It is important to maintain regular interaction and report any symptoms especially if they are worsening. I would encourage him not to read too much information from non-credible sources on the internet, as these can be inaccurate and distressing, but to seek advice from his medical team.

I would also remind him to follow government guidelines and to acknowledge that being isolated is challenging.  His sacrifices are making a huge contribution to those around him and is protecting his loved ones and community. If his symptoms allow, maintaining a routine may be helpful. Simple things like making the bed, having a shower, getting dressed for the day may help his mindset. Trying to do activities can help distract from the worry about the virus.

Lifeline is also available for support 24 hours a day 7 days a week on 13 11 14. This is a number to call for any personal crisis and would be a good number to pass on to him

If you need us again, please don’t hesitate to contact us on StrokeLine 1800 787 653.  

Warm regards,

Kath (StrokeLine) 

Hi Avaniterg,

 So sad to hear that your friend is facing a serious problem right now, Maybe this article will help you http://cadeeinc.com/realities-of-dying-due-to-covid-19/ this article is helpful.

Thank you guys and I appreciate your comments. I will check it out soon.