Improved mental health during pandemic

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I read a lot on here about the supposed mental health crisis, and saying how awful the pandemic is for school children.

I disagree with the blanket assumption that everyone’s mental health has suffered. Months of lockdown improved my mental health hugely, so much more space and peace, and so much less stress than usual.

We have students returning to (secondary)school this week after their second or third stretch if 10 days isolation since Easter. Some are pleased to be back. Many preferred home learning, and made more progress working at home, including ones with no internet, just using good old fashioned text books, like we used to

There has been a lot said about rises in the suicide rate, but all the local data I’ve seen suggests it had fallen, not risen, locally over the pandemic time

I’m sure some children hate lock down, and some people do have mental health problems. But I don’t think it’s universal, by any means

There have been positives and negatives for me, my diet has improved and I exercise regularly now. I was also in lockdown with my now 6 year old who is Autistic and has very high care needs, in a top floor flat with no Garden, a partner working full time outside of the house and a downstairs neighbour that relentless banged on the ceiling, screaming and shouting because my DD was running and jumping constantly. I also suffer with OCD. It definitely did take its toll.

Everyone's experience will obviously be different, like you said, the first lock down for you was relaxing and that definitely wasn't the case for me.

I can’t relate at all. I’m a teacher so I haven’t wfh at all since last June when I qualified, and I don’t have a garden so i can’t even begin to imagine how nice it must be to have a home with some kind of outdoor space. Thank god I haven’t had to isolate because my flat is tiny.

I think we’ve had vastly different experiences of the pandemic.

Oh I see you’re a teacher too - in that case I really don’t understand! Lockdown and school closures were awful. How can you possibly have enjoyed that?!

Because she wasn’t in?

But the thing is, nothing is stopping you from living a quieter calmer life anyway if you want to. You don't need a lockdown to do that. That's the difference.

Exactly.
The last 15 months is not how I would choose to live my life. It was forced upon me.

Overall the negatives outweigh the positives and we certainly can't keep living like this.