Anti Dementors picnic at the Loch.

[TheGreatWave]

Starting a new one.

Nothing. We all feel same.

Am locked up with 3 under 6 and I thought 2 would go,to school. But blended fucking fancy name for school they wonted be going to or just for some random times

Doing my head in but we have been out and about and everyone feels same

Fuck you nicola and I mean fuck you nicola.

You don’t care about us at all

I'm so sorry you feel so alone. I feel sort of similar tbh - family and friends all dementoring. I think they all think I'm some sort of granny killing sociopath. This is the only place I can say what I actually think without someone shouting "burn the witch".

We have an employee assistance programme but won't my manager be told about that? I've been putting on the face for work and I don't think they know how badly I'm struggling. I want to be back office based. I want the kids back in school. I'm just desperate for the numbers to keep falling so full time school is back in September. We are rural with a school bus service, how would that even work with part time school? I can't drop off and collect at random times, I need to work

EAP is usually anonymous. They have no idea you call and even if it is something like where you're offered f2f (or Zoom to Zoom...) counselling, they'll only have to refer you to access it, nothing you disclose would be shared.

Nothing “ Which friend can I pick that won't tell me off for finding it hard?”

Have you spoken to anyone?

I fell in the hole, twice. Big time. First time I talked myself off the ledge, second time a neighbour did it.

If your friends are dementoring on social media that’s a bit different but when I finally phoned someone screaming “I can’t cope” she was brilliant. She was a safe bet though, I admit. She listened to my worst fears for two hours and it really helped.

X post

I’d avoid an EAP and try Samaritans over that, tbh.

I would have thought you could access without work being told but not sure. Would it be bad if they did find out? If you are struggling perhaps work knowing would help (although I know that depends a lot on your work)

Had another picnic this evening. Surrounded by bodies, I was. Admittedly, they've been there since about AD49, but I won't let that stop me taking the creditv

They knew you were going to come along and decided to pop their clogs 2000 years in advance The gift of foresight!

Think I’ve found an ultimate dementor

Not even sure if this can be true?

Email from very old contact, thought he had common sense. His daughter is very very shielding IYSWIM. He doesn’t believe in vaccines and she’s never had one but he’s terrified she’ll catch Covid.

I will not reply.

I’ve had a few emails saying “haven’t spoken for ages but wanted to see how you are in these hard times”. Not sure if it’s concern or boredom tbh.

I asked one friend if she wanted to come and sit in my garden in the nice weather and got snapped at that it was against the rules. My garden is 30' wide and 150' long. There is room. And a side access.

It's affecting my relationship with my husband a lot now as he is very self sufficient and I need people around. I love my colleagues, 15 years I've been there, and I probably talk more to them than DH in a normal week.

We are about to fill this thread up

Try another one Nothing. Look at the rate of de-lurkers on this thread. The supportive people are out there, they're just cautious like you are

Bit late but for Jourdain too, pleased you're feeling better.

The thing that galls me is this:

I completely believe that where there is a real and present danger of something potentially avoidable overwhelming the health service of a nation that lockdown as a tactic of delay or suppression could work. But only for a short period to literally avoid a real and true risk of the collapse of a health service.

Tight as fuck restrictions for a fortnight, maybe a month? Yeah. Then resume as normal to allow herd immunity to actually embed whilst (narrowly) avoiding a crash.

It’s the length of time and the muddled nature of the restrictions that’s messing with the economy, society, health that’s going to leave the lasting serious damage.

So in short, to swerve total disaster, do it as a short sharp measure of national emergency. But don’t kid on that drawing it out is anything other than stalling for time to mollycoddle the fevered imagination of the masses and to allow panicked governments to take stock of the absolute fucking mess they’ve all made.

I truly think that the guy from the WHO should be in the stocks about this.

Can I vote for the word "cult" to be included in the title

Hard times
Unprecedented times
Difficult times
'Flouncing' the rules
Stay home
Stay the fuck home
Stay safe

I swear to god, after all this is over I'm going to campaign to have all these phrases permanently removed from the English language.

Soooo sick of them. And I'm sick of the prissy simpering nature of some of them.

And it's FLOUTING. Although I have to admit, when the dementory types talk about flouncing the rules it does make me smirk.

@NothingisWrong the Samaritans were good when I had to call recently. And you can talk to us if you feel comfortable. A good vent helps sometimes. I'm sorry you're struggling so badly. I know many are feeling the same. I've had many very low moments myself.

I need to RARR. My local paper is all 'LOCAL DEATHS CONTINUE TO RISE' and the way it's written, you'd think death rates are soaring.

There have been 3 more deaths here. And there are hospitals in the county who have had none in some time. It's downright irresponsible.

And my most dementor-like friend (who I've unfollowed but get sucked into looking at on FB) is full of 'a minor economic blip is nothing compare to THOUSANDS OF DEATHS.' He will not listen to reason about it potentially not being minor. I just don't get his lack of thought towards those who will be pushed into severe poverty and the cuts which might happen, etc. I am not getting drawn in but it is so frustrating.

@PaulHollywoodsSexGut

Yes. Yes. A million times yes.

Fucking lunacy.

It's affecting my relationship with my husband a lot now as he is very self sufficient and I need people around. I love my colleagues, 15 years I've been there, and I probably talk more to them than DH in a normal week.

NothingIsWrong I could have written this myself. DH and I float around each other, not really communicating, and with him on online roleplaying / lectures / AGMs 4 nights of the week. We were like this before lockdown but it's demonstrated just how superficial our relationship is. It's probably mainly my fault, I don't make any effort either, because it's all just too hard.

I used to really like the word flouting. The dementors have ruined flouting for me.

And fucking hell, COVID deaths will pale into insignificance compared to the deaths that will be caused if social care collapses. And there is a very real risk that it will. No one seems to realise this (other than those on this thread).

@MagdaS yup just like that. Superficial. 20 years we've been together and have 3 children and now he's like a stranger. He doesn't get it when I want to talk about feelings. I'm taking sertraline and it's making me feel weird. Like half the time I have no reactions at all and then the rest I'm sobbing. I might try another friend who I know might be finding it hard as well.

So having seen the updates for return to school I am now bricking it. How will it work for part school part home? I’ve got kids in different years? I work in community nursing and am already on flexible working and DH works away a lot which isn’t going to change so what do we do? Will key worker children be able to go every day as they have at the hubs? Need more clarification really and don’t know how it will work for a lot of workers to be honest

So in short, to swerve total disaster, do it as a short sharp measure of national emergency. But don’t kid on that drawing it out is anything other than stalling for time to mollycoddle the fevered imagination of the masses and to allow panicked governments to take stock of the absolute fucking mess they’ve all made.
Yes - brilliantly put!