Memorial Health professional advises virtual watch parties to stay connected with friends

Posted on March 25, 2020
Diane Knaebe, system administrator for Memorial Behavioral Health in Springfield, says one creative way to beat isolation during these “stay at home” days is to have a virtual get-together. (Photo courtesy: Memorial Medical Center/Facebook)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Isolation can get you down. And Springfield behavioral health professional Diana Knaebe says it can hit the gregarious the hardest.

I think we’re all social beings and those of us that tend to be more extroverted and more social, I think,” said Knaebe. “Will find this potentially more difficult to handle than those that tend to like to spend more time by themselves and away from the public.”

As system administrator, Knaebe oversees the behavioral health unit at Memorial Health System.

Knaebe says some of the creative ways people are coping include having a virtual watch party – friends and family watching the same movie or television show while using chat.

Memorial has an emotional support hotline, 588-5509.

National Crisis Text Line 741741

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

Dave Dalh can be reached at [email protected]. 

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