Do you think Brexit has affected your mental health?

[Turniptracker]

Was discussing in the car with my partner yesterday about how I feel like Brexit is a constant low level source of anxiety and depression for me. The uncertainty, the lack of clear positives, it just feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel and I have no control over it.
Just wondered if other people felt the same way? That it's actually having a negative effect on their mental health?

^Serious question. 2 candidates, equally qualified. UK candidate needs a load of paperwork. One doesn't need a visa. No ongoing hassle. Which do you choose?*

Big companies do visas all the time, they’ll just put it through as a matter of course, it won’t be a hassle, same as why would a company send someone to the US if they can get a US national, they send them all the time. We have friends who work all over the world, I just don’t see it as a stumbling block on the remote chance my kids want to work there. I think they’re more likely to want to go to US Hong Kong Singapore.

No. Not at all. I keep it in a locked box alongside climate change and the state of the nhs.

“The most depressing thing has been the revelation that our parliament couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery”

This. And of course that they handed over to the (generally ignorant) electorate one of the most important decisions of our country’s history in the first place with a simple yes or no tickbox. Not only that but did not fully explain what a no-deal Brexit would entail and give the addition of a third tick box of “I do NOT want to leave the EU in the event of no deal. If this is the case, please disregard this vote.” I’m sure that would have been possible.

It just makes me down, and that we’re a laughing stock. I FEEL European. When I go on holiday in Europe I feel like I am at home in Europe even if there is a different language which I can’t speak. Countries like Oz and the US, yes they speak the same language but culturally they are quite different from us.

I just try not to think about it all too much as I think I would feel too much anxiety about it all, just generally about country and people’s mentality and behaviour going backwards. It’s almost like we’ve reached the pinnacle of civilisation in our country and are heading down the other side again.

Doesn’t help that there has been a hellish amount of change in senior management in my job at the moment. It’s all very very unsettling, and when people feel unsettled they either get jumpy and behave impulsively or become ostriches. How very very sad.

Thanks jellyfishandshells

I think the problem with Brexit is that it's self imposed, but I guess things like the 3 day week must have felt like that too

No not with brexit but the overall state of the world makes me feel sad and bothers me constantly. The cruelty towards humans and animals. The poverty and lack of medical care. War and torture, the environment, corruption in politics worldwide. Humans as a species have fucked so much up and caused such misery for every other living thing on this planet that for me brexit pales in comparison.

Applepie- that might be true for really big companies but a lot of small and medium companies just won't bother. Why would they? British candidates tend to be at a disadvantage linguistically anyway - add that to visa hassles and they'll find it much harder.

And just how embarrassing it all is to the outside world. We're a laughing stock. I cringe at the sheer incompetence, arrogance, ignorance, petulance, and ineptitude of our government.

We're definitely going to be leaving this country once retired, will go to Asia and hopefully the DCs will come too, so much more potential for jobs them over there.

We're going to be sliding down the economic scale pretty quickly once we crash out like lemmings over a cliff.

Jellyfish,

Yours is the best post on this thread. During most of history people have been threatened with far worse than Brexit.

I grew up during the Cold War and the IRA terrorist threat, lived through the 3 day week and power cuts (as a child), and Dennis Healey begging the IMF for a loan so that the UK could stay afloat. The 2008 banking crisis (and the quickly forgotten Euro crisis) were also pretty bad.

My parents and grandparents lived through world wars and the holocaust, not forgetting the Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis, when potential Armageddon was hours away.

Previous generations lived with incurable epidemics (the Black Death for one!).

People have really short memories and little sense of history. Personally I don’t think Brexit will turn out that bad but, even if it does, it is not in any sense an existential crisis.

If Brexit is causing mental heath issues, it is a catalyst and not a cause. People need to de with the underlying problem (anxiety) rather than blaming Brexit, because if Brexit wasn’t happening you would be worried about the climate ‘emergency’, North Korea or U.S/Chinese trade war.

And just how embarrassing it all is to the outside world.

It is. I can't think how it's not embarrassing even to leavers. It's the brits abroad attitude where we seem to think/act like we're superior to other countries.

Yes, I'm desperately sad that so many rejected consensus , concord and cooperation, which took forty years to build, in favour of some yet to be proved and uncertain advantages. It's so easy to destroy something so valuable, including the UK's standing and influence, and it will be enormously difficult to get it back.

I think the benefits we have enjoyed being a member of the EU will only be truly acknowledged and appreciated once we have left, and by then it will be too late.

I am very worried for my dc.

@larrygrylls

The major difference with all the past worries you mention, is that we have voted for this... or rather only 36% of the electorate have.

Previous generations lived with incurable epidemics (the Black Death for one!)

Except they didn't live with it, lots of people died. That's possibly one of the dafter things I've read on here.

Yes. As a person of colour the increased racism is very upsetting for numerous reasons.

I take medication daily and had trouble getting hold of my usual brand a couple of months ago, which was due to Brexit related shortages according to the number outs pharmacies I was desperately ringing round.

Jasjas,

I have no idea why voting for it would change the mental health impact.

** Yes. I'd been slightly depressed (side effect of meno/hypothyroidism) but had got back on track and then boom, Brexit vote put me down again.

I have no idea why voting for it would change the mental health impact.

Because unlike many other past crises, this one is a fucking stupid unnecessary act of destruction by careless politicians, lying demagogues and the electorate.

It did for a while - I found it very distressing and it made me anxious & worried. It also impacted some pretty major housing issues I was having in the run up to the referendum and for some time after it. It had a pretty detrimental impact on our lives for some time.

However I've always thought Brexit was a political impossibility. And in the last 18 months or so I disconnected & changed my attitude. Now I still follow it with great interest, but I treat it like a sport of sorts - following the highs and lows with interest, laughter & many eye rolls but more detached than I was before. This is largely down to a change in my personal circumstances, housing issues resolved etc.

I know there is nothing I can do to affect the outcome personally. so while I will sign petitions, write to my MP, been on a couple of marches, I've managed to have a different attitude - so overall I've felt much better for the change in myself.

(I am an immigrant but thankfully I got British citizenship some years ago - maybe it would be harder to detach if this wasn't the case).

I don't want Brexit - probably Johnson's forcing a hard Brexit is the only way it can happen and I hope the MP's can effectively oppose this. The main side effect in my life now, is I very much doubt I will ever vote Labour again - they have behaved absolutely disgracefully the last few years. Corbyn is a bigger joke than even Johnson. The man will live out the rest of his days with splinters still in his arse. Being politically homeless is a stress but I can manage that.

larrygrylls

Knowing that you chose to lose your job by voting for Brexit, may well push some individuals into MH worries.

The slogan "short term economic disruption" will not trip of the tongue quite so smoothly.

But lets hope you are correct and all will be fine.

Larrygrylls - we inflicted Brexit on ourselves, the Black Death was not anybody's fault. Unfortunately lots of people ARE to blame for Brexit.

I find it interesting that several people have noted completely detaching from it all as a coping strategy. I am doing the same and yet we can't hide from the fact it is going to happen to us whether we shelter ourselves from its impending arrival or not.
My partner is an EU citizen and we are forever debating who is going to suffer more, happy days

Also know for a fact many Europeans think all British are racists as a result of Brexit which mortifies me. My European friends will openly admit that's how they feel despite knowing people like me voted remain

No, not at all. I voted remain.

No.

HTH

I feel preoccupied with the need to stock up on everything as the thought of not being able to feed my children terrifies me. But I wouldn’t say it is affecting my mental health! I feel a bit despondent about the state of the world in general, but more over the environment and mass shootings lately.

I am worried about a No Deal Brexit, but accept that there is nothing I can do about it except make sure I have a well stocked food cupboard.

I am wondering what will happen if and when Johnson's No Deal Brexit "protect and survive" leaflet lands on people's doorsteps. I think it could trigger some panic-buying.

Profoundly depressed by the realisation that half the population is ignorant and uneducated. If not that, then they are simply malignant. Grim.