To think there's a whole mental health aftermath to the pandemic which isn't really being addressed

[crackerscandycanes]

Just looking at people I know, people seem to be really struggling at the minute, and of course the cost of living is a big part and all the bad news etc, but I also think that some of it is the aftermath of the pandemic and everything we had to go through being locked indoors for all that time. It seems as if we're not supposed to mention it now or reflect, but I think there's a lot of mental health issues on the back of it.

Sorry, there was meant to be a quote in there but I have lost the plot which one!

I rarely ever think of the pandemic nowadays. It's in the past, and I don't look back at the past much simply because I'm not going that way.

I was diagnosed with early breast cancer just days before the first lockdown, so my lockdown was more traumatic than most. But it still wouldn't occur for me to dwell on it all anymore. I have noticed that the people I know who are still dwelling on the pandemic and still seem to be living in 2020 - are the exact same ones who have always had a tendency to feel sorry for themselves and have a negative view of life.

@EmmaAgain22 thank you thats very kind. Im sorry to hear you are still struggling because of this. Im still carrying a lot of resentment which doesnt seem to be dissipating.

Yep. Everyone’s gone nuts. Anyone who was a bit fragile has gone over the edge and, separately, those who worked crazy hard - nurses teachers police keyworkers etc - are shattered.

I have noticed that the people I know who are still dwelling on the pandemic and still seem to be living in 2020 - are the exact same ones who have always had a tendency to feel sorry for themselves and have a negative view of life.

I don’t have a negative view of life and I’m not living in 2020. I don’t think anyone would view me as a person that feels sorry for myself.

However I am traumatised. I spend a lot of effort hiding that partly for the benefit of other people. I don’t necessarily think of the pandemic - I usually avoid it really - but it caused me a lot of harm which I also can’t be unaware of, however much I’d like to.

I don’t know anyone ‘living like it’s 2020’ it’s been forgotten in general conversation pretty much.

Floorwipes to you, I’d ignore those posts they aren’t relevant

I'm sorry to hear about your dianosis, I hope that you're doing well.

People who are traumatised often seem to get 'stuck' reliving an event in the past. This is a common symptom of PTSD.

Mental health issues doesn't mean someone is being sorry for themselves or being negative, these aren't helpful ways to describe other people's struggles.

People need support and understanding - a not insignificant part of mental health problems are the stigma and guilt that come from simplistic, misguided, and judgemental ideas like these.

My post wasn't seeking to stop people moving on now or assessing the collateral damage from the last few years That's necessary now and absolutely there are severe repercussions from lockdowns, but that was never a black and white issue for non-CEV people, and the choice was either a huge amount of deaths or fallout from isolation. I was responding to a poster who felt there never was the need for lockdowns.

Would they possibly be people who are suffering from anxiety and depression or other MH conditions? Because your lack of empathy is shocking.

I wish I knew the answer. I try not to think about it and mostly do okay. But it's such a lonely life now, and I'm waiting for the bus at the care home, staff still in masks, thinking, how did my 2019 life just vanish to the point I might as well move in with mum and be her carer?

I suppose I'd only get over the anger and resentment if there was some kind of justice, but there won't be. I hope you find a more realistic option for getting rid of the resentment.

@EmmaAgain22

@PlinkPlonkFizz

"My post wasn't seeking to stop people moving on now or assessing the collateral damage from the last few years That's necessary now and absolutely there are severe repercussions from lockdowns, but that was never a black and white issue for non-CEV people, and the choice was either a huge amount of deaths or fallout from isolation. I was responding to a poster who felt there never was the need for lockdowns."

+++

You are absolutely right that the choice was between an increase in deaths from Covid during 3020 / 2021 or an increase in deaths later on due to mental health issues, delayed cancer and other illness diagnosis, recession, fall in GDP and poverty.

The lockdowns absolutely did decrease the death rates from Covid at the time. But the question (which is impossible to ever know) is whether the increase in Covid deaths if there had been no lockdowns was greater or smaller than the subsequent increase in deaths because of the lockdowns which will continue for many years.

IMO it is the latter but I recognise there is no way of ever proving that for sure.

I’m pretty sure Florida is taking political success from a more open economy with numbers similar to other states that had higher controls.

DeSantis seems to be benefitting with votes.

You left out username 'MercyBooth'! That one was decidedly far right-wing, although you kept denying it while sharing unreliable sources.

You are talking about the A State of Fear threads. Of course you can get away with it because they were conveniently deleted.

But i did say on here i was accued of being far right when im not.

Thank you so so much for coming on here and proving me right.

Here is an INCREDIBLY far right thread of mine posted under the username you mentioned.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/coronavirus/4199400-Some-have-been-having-to-lockdown-in-this

Oh yeah, he's definitely benefitting from that. Florida has seen people move to avoid restrictions.

Wanting people to be paid properly to self isolate was really really FAR FAR RIGHT of me i know I wholeheartedly apologise.

MercyBooth · 21/10/2021 02:35
Funny how the default setting is to stop ppl seeing their families rather than paying people properly to self isolate. If that had been implemented properly it would have helped a great deal

More right wingness from me

MercyBooth · 21/10/2021 02:40
Dont want to let go of their ideology not to give poorer ppl money
So they can afford to self isolate

Very true and which throws up a really interesting scenario.

Let's assume DeSantis becomes the Republican Party for the 2024 Presidential election (which is quite feasible). Let's also assume Biden chooses not to run on grounds of age so there is an alternative Democrat candidate. Finally let's assume the US economy doesn't get much better or potentially worse during 2023.

I can see a DeSantis campaign along the lines of the Democrats over reacted to Covid with all their restrictions which is causing us the harm and debt and social impact we are having to put up with.

Whereas I as Governor of Florida didn't panic / over react, kept things open and as a result the Florida economy is in much better shape, with less social impact and our Covid death rates weren't that different to Democrat States that did lockdown.

If this proves successful or even if De Santi's get's elected on other reasons then this changes how the mainstream narrative on how lockdowns are portrayed or even remembered from a necessary sacrifice to an over reaction causing unnecessary harm.

Really not sure why the government didn't encourage people to go exercise outside together once it became clear how much being outdoors / excellent ventilation dropped transmission risk. It would have made such a difference.

I mean, there might be reasons they didn't do this but I'd like to know what they were, what weighed heaviest in the scales.

www.edp24.co.uk/news/20709720.group-men-playing-football-among-31-fines-covid-breaches/

We’ve been hit by one crisis after another the last few years. There’s never any good news. With the news and media so readily available to us the moment you pick up your phone, we’re flooded with doom and gloom.

I’ve been looking at a “good news” website and it helps to balance out the shit.

You've always been a strong advocate for people in social housing pre-dating 2020.

Staying safe, and sitting on the sofa watching Netflix really was not a reality for people in poor (including overcrowded) housing, often overlaping with low paid jobs with high levels of contact getting on with reality while others were sunning themselves on furlough. Poor access to outdoor spaces in the absence of private gardens.
It's no co-incidence that in summer 2020, the Covid maps showed higher rates in poorer communities/ those with higher population density.

There often was a classist scorn to perfectly legal behaviour such as people queuing outside Primark when shops reopened after 3 months.

In the end, the only people facing a choice of mandatory vaccination or dismissal was the low paid sector of care workers. The threat for NHS staff didn't come to fruition thank goodness because it would have pushed the NHS even deeper into the shit than it is now. As it is, care home/ bed blocking difficulties have been exacerbated.

But most of MN didn't want to think about that in 2020/21.

YY @BogRollBOGOF Thank you I hope you are doing ok. I still think had more money been given to those on lower incomes to self isolate this would have helped far more than more restrictions would and did.
Im in the South East but i remember looking at Leicester and being absolutely horrified If i remember correctly they were out of lockdown for only three weeks back in 2020