Not looking forward for the next 6 months...

[MyNameWas]

Possibly this is more suited in mental health/COVID but not much traffic in those threads as AIBU and chat.

I’ve always disliked winter, cold, dark and always associated with sickness and need i say anything more for this year?

Dreading school start at the same time see the absolute need for it.. I’ll have to panic everyday about every cough/sore throat.

We are BAME- no underlying health conditions but just feel we are doomed. No friends or family in UK. Both are in full time office based jobs..

The scaremongering of the media which will start eminently

It’s a pretty scary time right now and I can completely understand your fears. I’ve found that my anxiety has started to increase after actually being ok for most of lockdown so I’ve decided to refer myself for some CBT for it. If you haven’t already then maybe that’s something you could look into doing to try and help you get through the next few months?

Hi PoxyPixie yes, I’m referring myself tomorrow- got in my ‘todo’ list to call the self referral line tomorrow morning.
Have you started CBT? Are you finding it useful/ working?

I was in pieces when this stated in March- then fine but I feel I’m going back to being in pieces again..

Not looking forward to the next month (for now).

Cases now at their highest in several months after people have been enjoying their summer holidays and now the schools, colleges and universities are about to go back, just as the government and the media are screaming for everyone to go back to the office.

What could possibly go wrong?

Cases are going to go up and up, just got to hope it's a weaker strain and the hospitals can manage.

Something you can do now: start building your "friends with children" network up. Nearly every time I've been off work over the summer I've had one of DS's friends here to build up a bit of a "bank" of owed childcare favours. They're in the same bubble so if school is shut for neither of them having positive tests I have favours to call on. And I can say "I'll have yours Monday if you can cover Tuesday"

Can you afford a nanny?

I've been worrying a bit more about a second resurgence. Best to limit your exposure to the media and carry on taking preventative measures, hope the CBT is useful.

annabel85 as you say ‘what could possibly go wrong?’😕
The government is actually clueless or looks that way. Constant u-turns,mixed messages...

Mines I’ve always struggled to make connections in this country. People already seem to have a friends group so you are seen as an outsider...I’ve got a few acquaintances but no friends whom I can call upon in an emergency.
I want to move back to my country but that’s another story..

Yes can afford nanny but never had one. Always relied on nursery and then school and after school club. We thought it’s better for our daughter to have the opportunity to mingle with as many kids as possible as she is an only child

I don’t mind the government “u-turns” as I see it as learning and adapting when needed but overall I’m limiting my news intake to BBC only. Last week one news outlet told me cases were both the lowest and highest in two articles from the same day. I get phe reports for my region due to my job so that helps give perspective but overall local “live” website news is shockingly scaremongering and inaccurate so I don’t read that anymore.

I haven’t started the CBT yet, I’m waiting to hear back on appointment dates. My sister said that she found it really helpful though so I’m hoping it works well for me as well. I’ve also been trying to get into meditation/mindfulness though I can’t say I’ve seen much benefit from that yet.

Yes I’ve stopped reading or listening to the news...not sure I can handle it. Good point about u-turns..I didn’t see it that way.

Thank you PoxyPixie I’ve found yoga helped in the past..so going to give that a try as well

Feel so down
Usually love this time of year
Anxiety off the scale, not sleeping properly
Have not felt like this since March and I've worked outside the Home all the way through
DH back in his workplace properly tomorrow for the first full week since March
DC's heading back to school
Dc heading to uni in a few weeks
Should be such a positive time
I feel anything but
And I'm actually worried for the first time in ages about my mental health

Yes. I hate this time of year and the pressure of CV lurking makes it worse. I just hope the kids are ok at school this month so I can tidy up a bit.

I blame the media for a lot of the confusion as they’re desperate to know “but what if this happens...?” If the government don’t have an answer for the fictional scenario they then get slammed for being unprepared but if they give an answer then people get confused thinking that is the guidance rather than hearing it as a might happen in certain Unlikely circumstances.

I’m not saying the government is perfect or getting everything right but expecting them to know what they’re doing in a pandemic is unfair - if course they’re learning as they go on. Many countries are seeing rises in numbers yet ours remain low... still the government is seen as shit by the media and all other European governments are great. They’re all as bad as each other but the British media doesn’t do positivity on anything. (Exam results were a predictable shit show and that was a government failing so I’m not saying it’s all perfect! - I’m not actually a Tory but Corbyn’s leadership wouldn’t have been good imo)

I always feel like an outsider too: but there's usually a few people who are happy to swap playdates for days off.

I suggested a nanny as they might be able to help more if schools shut again.