Does any one else feel their mental health had improved during COVID?

[MyNameForToday1980]

In the run-up to COVID I was having pretty intense treatment for anxiety. My anxiety largely manifested as health anxiety (but would find a route to exist, so if I couldn't muster a reason I'm probably dying, it would be displaced to practically any area of my life).

Therapy was postponed at the start of Lockdown in April. My therapist kept in touch, often asking how I was.

But to be honest, although I hate COVID and I'm totally ready for it to go away now, and I dislike the 'new normal' intensely, and I'm bored behind belief of working from home and doing very little... I feel mentally heathier than I have for years.

I wonder if COVID is the great leveller, that all of a sudden lots of people are experiencing the same incessant fear of death and loss as I have for years. And somehow it being 'normal' makes it less ... personally aggressive.

Does anyone else feel like this (or am I in denial, and should I get myself ready for some sort of personal crisis)?

YABU - hold tight sunshine you're headed for a big fall
YANBU - it's all dandy

I hear you op. I'm a single parent. I've always struggled financially. I've always worked too but still live hand to mouth. I've never been able to go on shopping trips or 'big' days out. I take my children on a caravan holiday once a year and that's all we have to look forward to (and love it). We manage one nice thing every few months - cinema, swimming or a meal out (family/chain type place).

It's always been hard watching others have several holidays a year, weekends spent doing 'big' things like Legoland etc. My children have had to sit back and watch friends have all these things and the latest gadgets or being taken on shopping sprees and uploading pics of themselves with shopping bags/drinks from Costa/meals in Frankie & Bennys. They've usually had their nails or hair done on said trip too.

During lockdown and now, myself and my children have had no real difference to our lives (face masks and covid restrictions aside). Whereas my children's friends have really struggled and suffered mentally because they've had to stay in, no more days out shopping for pleasure.

I feel sorry for those who are struggling, I really do, but at the same time it's been interesting seeing how others cope when they can't just go on day trips out, holidays abroad, to randomly buy something or go to the hairdressers. This has been my life. Every day. For years. And now everyone is more or less in the same boat. It's been nice hearing people change their mindset, appreciating the simple things, budgeting and with a mend and make do attitude. People are also saying they're cutting down on Christmas shopping too. The pressure that's been taken off me since March is incredible.

@Bella43 you could be onto something there - I've said almost ironically that lockdown plays to my strengths as a neurotic, anti-social, homebody - but there is some truth to that.

I do miss human interaction, and I am bored of the monotony, but I bet that super extraverts and/or people who live particularly glamorous lifestyles are probably feeling the change harder.

I can’t lie, it does seem a bit odd to be happy for yourself and make zero acknowledgement of what others have gone through

You can do both at the same time.

My mental health has improved massively over lockdown, I don't think it is a case of my fears being more normal but the fact my life has changed so much.

I am autistic and was constantly stressed, chest pains, panic attacks, serious depression and having regular meltdowns and now I'm so much happier. I've had one meltdown since lockdown started and that was triggered by an argument at home.

I'm WFH, so I don't have to deal with people F2F all the time, I am not getting overhwlemed by noise and lights and busy places. I've not thought about harming myself at all.

I miss some things but am going to seriously re-evaluate my life going forward.

Selfishly this year has been what our family needed. We were going through a difficult period and it gave us the space from everything and everyone that we have so desperately needed.

I started therapy for emetophobia in January and we quickly realised that as well as the specific (and debilitating) phobia I also have more general health anxiety.

That part of my mental health has been much better in Covid times. I actually said to my therapist, who checks in occasionally, that knowing everyone in the same boat has kind of helped. However when I really think about it, I think the issues have just been put on hold as opposed to "worked through" and I am not cured, I just don't have to face / deal with my triggers.

I also had a very shocking and sudden bereavement a few months ago and it's completely changed my life. I am suffering in a way I never knew possible and that has left little room for my day to say anxieties.

Overall my mental health is just as precarious as ever but for different reasons.

I hear you, OP.

For me, it seems that I just don't cope with a 'busy' life, I'm not someone who thrives on having 50 million things to do and places to go, the first lockdown was wonderful for me, so pressure free, I really appreciated it. It's made me realise that when things are back to normal, I need to take a step back on a few things that were adding nothing to my life but I felt that I couldn't say no to.

@Crunchymum I know how you feel, I always knew that the health anxiety that I was being treated for was just the current manifestation of a broader anxiety - and that when a particular health worry was ruled out, my brain found another fear to occupy the space until the next health worry came about... like water making its way through rocks, sooner or later, it finds a tiny gap, and over time it becomes a full rushing stream. Then you plug the gap... and it finds another tiny gap, and on it goes.

Op I totally get it. I'm a homebody too (good job really as finances allow for nothing else). It's nice not having the pressure now of works dos and all the other expensive meet ups of Christmas. Everyone I know seems to be stripping it back in general this year. I've been invited for a cuppa but restaurants are out the window now. The restrictions make it less of a pleasure.

@WhispersofWickedness Yes I've been taking things a little slower too. I'm always juggling, school, work, studies etc. Now the schools are educating and that's it. No open days, Christmas markets, fayres. I know they have to raise money for the pta but these things are costly for those who can't afford. I happily donate books and old toys but when it comes to buying I really feel the pinch. I try and strike a happy balance by buying off the food stalls - cupcakes, mince pies, popcorn, drinks as these are as little as 50p each. At least then my children aren't missing out and I'm still doing my bit to raise money for the school 😊

I have every sympathy for everyone struggling but yes my mental health has benefited too.
I was really struggling with day to day life pre-Covid. I don't know what had happened but it was like my 40s (combined with a health condition that has required a change in lifestyle) had brought a wave of social anxiety that was making me close down and I had stopped engaging with nearly everyone, given up work as I had no faith in my abilities, stopped most voluntary work I had been doing as had lost all confidence.
This year has been tough don't get me wrong but when pushed I found that person I was before. I instinctively picked up the voluntary stuff (and rather had it forced on me by other people sinking) then at some point I realised that I had stepped out of that hole of self-doubt and misery and was just getting on with stuff again.

I am actually looking forward to a day when restrictions ease and we can get out again and it is nice to feel that way.

No, I don't think you are being unreasonable, I think Covid is impacting many people in very different ways.

I've know of more than a few cases of children who were having a lot of trouble in school, taking meds for ADHD, or struggling with the work, who are doing much better now. Including coming off the medication for some. Similarly some in bad work environments who are now doing better. It makes sense, it means they are out of the environment causing the problems.

For some of the parents I have talked to, it's been a revelation around where the real problems lie and they hope to make changes when things return to normal.

As far as your circumstance OP, I have heard of several people with health anxiety or OCD focused around health issues who are now doing better. They very reasonably worried that it would ramp up the negative behaviours, but that hasn't been the effect. It seems odd, especially since there are any number of other people who seemed fine before who now have been overcome with irrational fear and unhealthy coping mechanisms.

I've wondered why this is but have no good explanations of my own, so yours seems as good as any.

Mine has improved immensely. I was doing a job I didn't like. That job doesn't exist anymore and I do something else now. It's a bit boring due to lockdowns, but I'm able to save more, so that helps my sense of security too.

The MH of all my friends' children improved too. They loved not going to school, but none were at important exam stages, so that helped.

I feel much less stressed in my working life. I was made redundant from a job that I hated and immediately felt much better, I now work for myself and whilst it has its own issues (mostly financial!), I do thank my lucky stars I wasn’t trapped in that job for the last 9 months.

In general I don’t feel amazing. I live about 200 miles from most of my friends and family and not being able to travel down and see them as much this year has been tough. Wasn’t so bad when no one was hanging out, but now all my friends are socialising again and I feel very isolated.

I’m also pregnant with my first baby and haven’t yet been able to tell anyone to their face which is also a bit sad.

I still consider myself lucky in comparison to what a lot of people have gone through this year.

I hoped mine would improve but no. worse. I like the getting more sleep bit when I was on furlough so not working evenings but no I need to be out doing things otherwise it just feeds my anxiety and makes me worse. I go out lots to keep my myself distracted from my worries but can't do that now. Plus not having the social support I did before. I think when things do ease it is going to make it all even worse for me as I have to get myself back to where I was before, now having made massive steps backwards.

Yes, I'm doing better mentally too. No commuting and no evening church meetings or commitments has given me extra hours each day of free time that I can enjoy without feeling like I should be doing something else.

I'm also a step removed from drama llamas and that's a bit of a relief too.

I'm massively grateful that my house is a place I enjoy being, and that my family are a lovely bunch who I enjoy being around. I know lots of people don't have that and this year is horrific for lots of people. Let's hope the vaccine will bring this time to a close soon.