To think people’s mental health is suffering dangerously right now?

[VodkaCranberry2]

I know we’re all making changes and doing things for the greater good of the UK right now (well, most of us) but is anyone worried about the impact it’s having on people with mental health problems, and is there a solution?

I have bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and OCD - of which has turned into maternal OCD since having my baby six weeks ago and I’m really struggling with not being able to have that family support. I could really do with a hug from my mum right now. I know I’m not an exception and I’m not trying to make anyone feel sorry for me but I know lots of us are in the same boat.

I’m lucky enough to be able to pay for private therapy as I’ve been going for a long time so my therapist only charges me £30 which is amazing - I couldn’t afford any more. I’m having weekly phone calls with her and also from the perinatal team mental health leader so I am lucky in that aspect but I’m really finding it hard without medication reviews and professional help for my diagnoses as it’s psychiatrist led and for obvious reasons they’re not doing appointments right now.

But people are suffering massively right now mentally, the mental health services are suffering and I know how hard hitting it can be to not get that help especially during a time like this.

Again I know I’m in a fortunate position to have that but I’m really struggling to the point I’m struggling with horrible intrusive thoughts for most of the day which is making it difficult to function properly, and I’ve always benefited from having my family around me. Again I KNOW I’m not an exception.

I’m just wondering is anyone else really struggling with their mental health right now, and do you think there is any sensible solution? When I’ve been seriously bad in the past I have been to A&E and been under the crisis team for a few months - but even that is not possible right now, so what can we do? What could make it better while staying safe? What do you think the government should allow? For me, mental health is just as important as physical health and I just think there isn’t enough support right now.

I can only speak for myself and my family and friends but everyone seems to be enjoying having time at home and time to unwind and spend time with their families. However I don’t doubt that a lot of people are suffering at the moment and I’m so sorry to hear that you’re having a shit time I think that mental health services are going to be flooded (even more so) with demand in the near future with increased cases of OCD, anxiety, hypochondria and probably depression all linked to lockdown and the virus.

OP, I also have BPD, and I feel like i’m drastically going backwards. Some days I can happily plod along, but then there are days like today where my mood bounces around everywhere and I feel utterly miserable, lethargic, and pessimistic.

I had a pretty bad turn a week or so ago and the crisis team got involved, but I don’t think there is enough support either. Personally, I can see a dramatic decline in mental health occurring all across the country, and it’s very worrying. As of now, I don’t think we have the capacity to support it.

My mental health is very bad right now because I am clinically vulnerable but am at work and come into contact with hundreds of people every day.

I already had PTSD and anxiety before this started.

I feel like I am suffering from a double whammy of being put at physical risk and experiencing poor mental health as a consequence.

I am seriously considering quitting my job even though I would have no money to eat or heat the house, because it is preferable to being at risk. I feel that if I catch it and die or become disabled I will have let my kids down by not quitting my job.

I feel like society don’t care about people with underlying health conditions and have a survival of the fittest attitude.

I have ptsd. Until lockdown, it was controlled to the point I had virtually no input from anyone apart from a 3 to 4 month chat with a psychiatrist. I'm getting things under control again but have been having regular video chats with my GP and psychiatrist. I was offered an inpatient bed if needed and have also been offered home visits/in person appointment with the GP.

Why can't you go to a&e? I've been told that I absolutely should if needed.

YANBU. But it's not covid so it doesn't matter to all the panicked Dementors.

I have bipolar disorder. I just have been put on a much higher dose of meds and left alone. I feel like a slug a lot of the time and hate it but I'm not sure there is much else I can do.

Definitely feels like the safety net has been pulled away from under us.

I also have PTSD and so if they make masks compulsory I guess I won't be able to go outside anymore. It's awful. I just feel like shit all the time and struggle to see the future.

@dinosauratemydaffodils I’m glad to hear you’re getting things under control. My mental health team have told me to avoid A&E due to the virus and having a newborn, but I didn’t realise you could still get crisis intervention if needed so that’s good to know.

YANBU. I've suffered from depression and anxiety since I was a teenager. I'm lucky that I'm able to manage my conditions with a combination of medication, mindfulness and therapy.

Since the country was placed in lockdown, many of us have lost our livelihoods, myself included. That plus not being able to see our friends, family, worrying about the future, and having a government who are clearly unstable and don't have a clue how to get through this, is having a MASSIVE toll on my mental health (and the rest of the country's mental health).

Sending you all the love and luck in the world OP. Try to stay positive - hopefully lockdown is coming to an end.

Honestly if they just told us we could be closer with our immediate family I think I’d find this a lot easier as I’ve always found their support beneficial. I don’t see how we can open garden centres and go to beaches but we can’t be close with family who we know are much less of a risk.

Wanted to offer hugs and support.

I have anxiety, depression, PTSD, CPTSD and Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and thinks have steadily been deteriorating to thoughts of suicide. There's so little joy in anything and no desire or ability to do anything about it (I have disabling medical conditions). I'm a private person and not prone to bursts of emotion (good or bad), just an emotionally numb person.

Massive hugs to anyone who's struggling, and thank you for making the thread.

YANBU at all.

Is your mum shielding? Does she have any of the health conditions that make her "extremely vulnerable" or "vulnerable" (nb vulnerable is a long list and I think some are more vulnerable than others!)

Does she work out of the home and if so is it in a healthcare role or something else that puts her at particular risk of exposure?

If your mum is not shielding or very vulnerable, and is not a healthcare worker or similar, I think you should just see her.

We were at breaking point and we saw mine (not vulnerable in any way, working from home). It did us all the world of good.

You do what you have to do

@AnotherEmma My mum is working from home and is not vulnerable, she’s 47 with no health conditions. However my step-dad is working full time but outside with the same three people, and my sister who is currently home from uni is working as a carer, but for isolated people who haven’t left the house in years (she goes directly to their houses, not in a care home) and she hasn’t worked with any cases of Covid. I just feel worried because if I did see her and something happened, I’d feel responsible and guilty if I infected my baby.

Have a read of this. It might reassure you.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52758024

It's your call though, everyone does what they feel comfortable with.

Yes, it is!

I'm usually in great mental health and have a bit of a reputation for my emotional resilience to even the most stressful situations. But after three months of being entirely on my own and not seeing a single person I know and like in the flesh, having to deal with making employees redundant, being separated from my child and generally just feelibg utterly isolated, I know the strain is getting to me. I've a decidedly shorter fuse than I used to and I have had a few episodes of relentless sobbing for apparently no reason.

And, yes, the same is also true for some seemingly happy people who appear to be doing just grand in their upper MC homes with a garden and would seem to be living in family bliss. I know of several friends and colleagues who've taken to going on "mental health walks" on their own because they find it difficult to deal with the relentless onslaught of having their loved ones around 24/7.

... and none of us are even dealing with any particular mental or physical health risks. It's just that the everyday insanity of it all is getting to all of us.

@VodkaCranberry2

Missed the bit about a baby. They should be offering video chats/phone calls surely. My psychiatrist seems to be phoning me regularly. What about your health visitor? Online baby groups? We're doing online tiny talk (baby signing), it's not as good as in person but better than nothing.

I also have PTSD and so if they make masks compulsory I guess I won't be able to go outside anymore

Most European countries with compulsory mask wearing have exemptions for mental and physical health. I've been told I'd get a letter from my psychiatrist stating why it wasn't appropriate for me to wear one if it becomes the norm. Although my dh has just come back from Costco and he says the vast majority of customers were neither social distancing or mask wearing.

Completely agree.

My scenario is that I also have a young baby, similar age to yours. I’m on maternity leave at the minute, I don’t know when to return (I work in care). I have no diagnosed medical issues like BPD or anxiety so I am just going through this as someone who’s just finding it hard.

My husband is working from home, he gets human interaction everyday. His sibling comes to our house (this is a whole other thread of which I won’t go in to now), he’s taken the baby to see his parents (supposedly) as per social distancing guidelines. He’s generally got life as normal.

For me, it’s completely turned upside down. No school runs, no dog walk with friend, no work, no interaction with anyone bar husband. He doesn’t help me with night feeds, says his mental health is important too when I argue that his sibling should not be coming in to our house (again, whole other thread so please don’t judge).

I have one friend. I’ve seen her once in the entire lockdown period. She works with me in care and is out in the field everyday, sees people. She sees her parents everyday. I can’t ask her to come by for a socially distanced chat, I can’t ask her to join me on a 2m apart walk. I’ve text her about my worries but she doesn’t want to hear it and I get that. I feel rejected and I honestly feel like I’m slipping in to some kind of PND hell hole.

I’m not close to my own siblings (distance or relationship) and my parents live 200miles away from me. I’m on my own.

I’m considering going back to work very part time just to get some kind of normality back and to be able to integrate with human beings again before I fall apart, but I’m only early days post partum.

I thought things might be a bit brighter when they said you could meet 1 person, 2m apart but it’s not happened.

The situation is horrible but because I have no diagnosed conditions, no ones interested because I should just “suck it up”.

No1, your situation sounds terrible.

Would it be possible for you to leave and go and live with parents or other family members for a while?

Also, in terms of having no diagnosed conditions, get a phone appointment with your gp! They can diagnose you with pnd over the phone and offer you support.

Lockdowns
It sounds as if your partner is a big problem, not just lockdown.
If you went to stay with your parents, would they help with any night feeds? Could they give you breaks or just keep you company during the day, or do they work?
200 miles is a long way but I'd seriously consider going to stay with them if I were you.

Go hug your mum.

DC did!

I don’t want to hijack the OP’s post but in reply to those asking, unfortunately I can’t go stay with my parents as I have other children who are infant school aged who need to have help homeschooling. It’s not fair on them and I can’t take them with me as parents house is too small.