to think Covid is changing people in unusual and disturbing ways?

[tttigress]

Have you noticed Covid changing you friends? Effecting their mental health?

Couple of examples of friends who have been very vocal on social media:

Friend1:
previously: quite left wing, into animal rights.
now: sees Covid as a scam, posting stuff from right ring/conspiracy oriented sites, attended a protest where people like David Icke was in attendance, many comments about "do your own research, don't listen to the main stream media"

Friend2:
previously: quite relaxed (maybe too relaxed), bit of a stoner, bit of a drinker, life of the part, quite sociable.
now: hardly leaves the house due to Covid, thinks people should wear masks at all times - even when outside, thinks people are taking Covid nowhere near seriously enough, thinks the media is underplaying Covid, thinks doctors are underplaying Covid etc. Although they think their life is in imminent danger from Covid still smokes and drinks at home

I am am bit concerned about the mental health crisis Covid could be causing

99% of people were utter twats before covid and covid has just proved that most of that 99% of people are thick bastards too

Only 99%, Just? You're a closet optimist, aren't you?

@Russellbrandshair

Probably controversial but the hypocrisy of people is irritating me. Eg. People obsessed with COVID lurking around every corner and yet smoking 50 a day, morbidly obese and drinking alcohol like it’s water. That’s just bizarre to me- being paranoid about a virus and assuming everyone will infect them yet happily engaging in lifestyle habits that are likely to kill them anyway! They can’t care “that” much about their health and welfare if they are doing all that damaging stuff! (But of course I suppose that’s different because they enjoy those things and therefore the damage to their health doesn’t count). Cognitive dissonance at its finest!

I've been saying this too. Preaching on social media about "selfish" people endangering others while they stuff their faces with half price McDonalds and expect others to take responsibility for their shitty health choices.

I think the erosion of trust in institutions and authority that was already underway (constant relgious scandels, dodgy dealing with banks expeosed in bank crisis , the behavior of our government and preceding one) - has been accelerated and that's why so many people are anxious and distrustful and some take up conspiracies.

I think social media and slogans instead of information and lack of robust reporting have all helped this along. I think many people are stressed and scared and being enocuraged to turn on each other to distract from poltcial goings on.

However I think there are many societies throughout history that have been through this in much worse ways than ours - and hopefully we won't go down those routes - and come out the other side.

So I do think edcuation has been badly affected, I do think people's health have suffered more than in other countries and perhpas more than needed to, I do think some services and sectors in decline have had those processes acclerated. But I don't think people have changed - their behavior will go back and collectively we'll mostly move on and forget with time.

I felt like the first wave affected a lot of people I knew with borderline mental health issues - posting quite unbalanced things on fb, making self-contradictory decisions about what's safe, one or two developing serious agoraphobia and hardly going out since March. But now I think I'm noticing more changes, more tetchiness, more unhappiness amongst most friends, even people who've been (and are still) coping really well. So yes, totally agree with OP.

Two people from my wider social circle committed suicide due to money worries/ stress. I think over winter suicide rates will be really high . Unless it's about covid people can't talk about the hardships they are going through.

I'd agree peopel's mood are down even if they have coped well - and some family say this year has massively aged them and I think they won't bounce back.

However I still think most people will - after the ecomonic shock has been gone through which we still have to look forward to.

@user8888

I think it has really grown division in society.

I feel like people who have everything, steady income/house/cottage/family/WFH jobs have really shown how much they don't give a shiny shit about people who have to work for low wages/work in public/live alone/rely on group activities for socializing.

It's changed my opinions of people to realize how many are just looking after themselves and don't care about others.

But it is difficult to say who those people are and where the division is.

I tick the boxes you mention and a quick glance at me would tell you that I have a good steady and secure WFH income, house, family etc. But that quick glance wouldn’t tell you that I’ve already lost one relative to COVID and my father is currently dying of cancer without full hands-on support from me or the system that might have been there in normal circumstances. I think it’s hard to assess who is Teflon coated in this situation and who doesn’t care about others based purely on their apparently stable circumstances (unless they’re being very vocal about not caring).

@StrippedFridge

I will be dreadfully offended if it turns out remote microchip control of humans via an invisible chip injected into the bloodstream is indeed possible. Why was I not recruited to this massive project?

I work on high tech things. I know the science and the maths. Some fucker developed all that technology, successfully hid all the early work, including tests on flocks of sheep, advances in micro batteries, modification of neurochemical pathways through microchips somehow stimulating something, the advances in wifi load transmitting all the data, never mind all the analytics and yet nobody phoned me. Bastards.

I've not seen any jobs on LinkedIn. Maybe I searched on the wrong thing.

Mind you, I think I might have invented a medicine it looks, smells and tastes a lot like Lucozade which neutralises the chips and also stops lizard people being able to track you through smell. PM me your bank details if you are not a sheeple.

Actually laughed out loud.

Changed my view of my childs primary school. They were hopeless during the first lockdown. Always been a vocal supporter of teachers (both my parents were) but the majority of the staff just vanished. Worksheets sent out by the school secretary zero support with the work literally nothing and nothing submitted or marked. God knows where the teachers went 🙄. My other child’s secondary were great they moved online and did all they could.

I've found the opposite - it had a positive impact on those I see. People helping each other out, taking time to chat more, supporting more charities. Lots have enjoyed having more time at home due to less social activity.

I've discovered Libertarian instincts in myself I never thought I could have, so I'm finding my own changes a disturbing situation, too

@lljkk Same here! I used to consider myself stereotypical centre left - north Londoner, very anti Brexit, very socially liberal etc. Have found covid a confusing and disconcerting experience, seeing all those in the public eye who I’d typically agree with calling for more and more restrictions and ever longer, tougher lockdowns and feeling more and more alienated from them. The total denial of the effects of lockdown on children, young people and young families has been the main sticking point for me I think.

There was one tweet last week from Alice Roberts (who I used to love) that I found particularly galling - about how we should all embrace Scandi hygge vibes this Christmas and spend it outside drinking mulled wine round our garden fire pits. No. Effing. Clue.

I’ve also discovered that I’m not as much of an introvert as I thought I was - have now reassessed myself as a quiet extrovert!

There is already a massive impact on mental health. I see a mental health practitioner at my GP.

I used to see him every fortnight. I saw him a week last Monday. He couldn’t get me in until 4th Jan. He’s snowed under. Absolutely out of control.

I also see a psychiatrist. He’s the same.

‘Probably controversial but the hypocrisy of people is irritating me. Eg. People obsessed with COVID lurking around every corner and yet smoking 50 a day, morbidly obese and drinking alcohol like it’s water.
That’s just bizarre to me- being paranoid about a virus and assuming everyone will infect them yet happily engaging in lifestyle habits that are likely to kill them anyway! They can’t care “that” much about their health and welfare if they are doing all that damaging stuff! (But of course I suppose that’s different because they enjoy those things and therefore the damage to their health doesn’t count).
Cognitive dissonance at its finest’

And most mental health drugs cause weight gain. Some of it significant. I’m scared to go anywhere, and am on one of these drugs for severe anxiety. It is a constant fucking battle every day not to overeat on crap. It’s hateful and wearing.

Don’t judge what you know nothing about.

I don’t think people have changed - just that it’s more obvious who they are. Anxious people are more anxious. Controlling people are more controlling. Entitled people are more entitled.

NHS mental health services have always been under funded and over stretched yet they are worth their weight in gold and more. I hope our horrendous government places the value they deserve because I know there are a lot of people who will need help. Not that it matters but I’m a nurse and a huge portion of us have suffered mh issues.

Seeing huge mental health fallout in the teen bracket. One suicide over the summer, two others failed. Horrendous. Every friend of my dd's has anxiety, daily panic attacks and other MH issues. It is very worrying.

I like to think by the spring, once the worst is over things will settle down. Our country could do with some space, time and sunshine to process what has happened, to put their lives back together. I hope many will see January as a time for reflection and reinvention. But for those with very serious mental health issues, they are going to need much more than some sunshine - proper support and help is going to be required to get everyone functioning well again.

In terms of my own personal life, some of my very stoic friends are struggling now, many are totally exhausted. We have worked all the way through, and just trying to find the energy to carry on. Many marriages are under ALOT of strain too. Whatever cracks were there have now been amplified.

The vaccine can not come quick enough.

Lockdown has made anxiety struggles resurface, I know I’m not alone with this either. I suffered with anxiety to the extent I was housebound about a decade ago and I feel like I’ve spiralled close to that once again. I do leave the house now but only because I have no choice (school run). I’m honestly a shell of the person I was ten months ago, it’s really shit. I worked PT and took my toddler to various groups we both loved, I’d love to get back to that.

I worked so hard to get past the anxiety issues years ago but now I’m almost back there again and it’s because I was housebound during lockdown so got too used to it. I was heavily pregnant so felt too afraid to leave. Now stuck inside most of the day, not sure what I’ll do next September when I have to return to teaching.

I’m a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist in NHS CAMHS.

I’m exhausted, personally and professionally. This pandemic has been a disaster to mental health. I’m so tired of our waiting lists, the feeling that we’re failing young people because we just can’t see them sooner. I’m exhausted by the phone calls to disappointed/upset parents, who want their kids seen sooner. Even though we just can’t. We can’t see them all sooner.

I’m exhausted personally. I haven’t taken a day since the pandemic began, except as parental leave.

I’m so sick of no funding, bugger all staff, and the usual platitudes.

Sigh.

Don’t judge what you know nothing about

I'm not- i know all about it thanks! and I am NOT referring to mental health medications FFS.
I'm talking about the ambiguity between doing things you are fully aware are deeply harmful to your health whilst at the same time demonising something which actually carries a much lower risk.

I've been saying this too. Preaching on social media about "selfish" people endangering others while they stuff their faces with half price McDonalds and expect others to take responsibility for their shitty health choices

Exactly. Eg Calling others selfish whilst thinking nothing of smoking around people with asthma etc etc

But you refer to mental health issues. And these need treating. And the meds for these can cause you to pack on weight! Even though you fight against it.

And comfort eat.

You can go either way - go off food or overeat

I think we've all changed this year.
I'm an anxious wreck, too scared to see my own family.
Never saw that one coming.