I don’t think people are taking the mental strain into account.

[BlueMoon1103]

I’ve been on this board A LOT the last couple of days and I’m seeing a lot of poster throwing round ‘isolate just in case’ or similar even when other posters are not having symptoms.

I don’t think the negative effects isolating for an entire week or more will have on mental health are being considered here. It’s not a decision that should be taken lightly or ‘just in case’ for many people.

I struggle with anxiety and depression and if I had to stay in my home with no contact for a week I think that would finish me off mentally so would only do it if it was absolutely necessary and for the shortest time possible. Posters who are saying this are being called ‘selfish’ and similar but I really don’t think those without MH issues understand!

Thank you @idontlike789, you completely get it!

I agree. Especially when some people are living in overcrowded sub-standard accommodation.

I get NHS mental health psychotherapy twice a week for 18 months. Supposed to end in June. I've been called today to say there will be no face to face sessions due to the virus... I am not OK with having "telephone sessions" due to my telephone anxiety and lack of privacy in my very small flat.

How long will it go on for? Will I be denied actual face to face therapy sessions until June when my "course" ends? Or will they extend my therapy beyond June? Who the fuck knows.

It's a pandemic. Pandemics aren't easy. Yes it will be difficult for most people at some point but you still have to do what is best for the greater good. There will be sacrifices but doing it will save lives.

YANBU. And it won't just be 'difficult' for many but deadly. No one seems to have children with SN who could be very severely affected by months of isolation.

Exactly! There has to be some accommodations made for mental health or else suicide rates are going to rise a heck of a lot.

Obviously, many people in lockdown cross the world have mental health issues and felt or feel the same. Without minimising that, I am in Italy, and it doesn't matter what you need in terms of face-to-face social contact and exercise, it's not possible beyond very limited circumstances. The rules are one size fits all (for good reason) and unfortunately some people will be impacted by them more than others for diverse reasons. I also imagine lockdown and the crisis will end up with many more people suffering from anxiety, depression etc.

Tlf there are things you can try to do to mitigate the effects of isolation/lockdown if it happens. Try to work out now what resources and strategies might help you/people struggling with mh or who will begin to struggle with my as the crisis develops. Personal resources and individual support networks but also community ones need to develop.

LeeMiller
Do you know if people are allowed to lockdown anywhere, or does it have to be their own home? Ie. could you go into isolation with a friend/family member?

Nobody is checking who is at home - just that you aren't out on the streets so I presume that would be ok.

Can you still go the shops in Italy to get nappies or something?

It's a pandemic. Pandemics aren't easy. Yes it will be difficult for most people at some point but you still have to do what is best for the greater good. There will be sacrifices but doing it will save lives.

I have to agree. Unfortunately we all have to make sacrifices, even very difficult ones. But the alternative (huge number of CV deaths) may be far worse.

I said this very thing on another thread. Many Chinese families I know online through my work haven't left their homes since January. Their children look miserable and quite unwell with dark rings under their eyes. Imagine not having fresh air or a walk for 8 weeks! This is why I am keeping my DC in school for as long as possible, it's not black and white there are so many variables.

Can you still go the shops in Italy to get nappies or something?

Yes but only a limited number of people are allowed in a shop at one time so you may have to queue (keeping your distance) for quite some time. DH went yesterday and had to wait 40 minutes at our little local supermarket. The queues at the big supermarket were apparently really long.

Mental wellbeing and mental illness are not the same.

People dying distressing deaths by suicide isn't a sacrifice anyone should be forced into making.

Bit sad this thread is turning into another one where people who admit they can’t do that are being made out to be selfish or somehow weak minded

I totally agree . I live in Ireland, schools and bars have closed . A lot of local shops and services are closing daily.
Our kids cant meet up, we cant meet up.
I cant visit my DM .
I can see the strain in all my friends already . We are in contact in various whatsapp groups and some of the strongest people I know are finding it very difficult.
I had a major wobble myself yesterday too.
All the scare mongering on sites like FB, you read something, freak , stress , worry about it, then find out an hour later it was fake news .....its very strange how some people get their kicks.....fake news has real affects on people.
I can only imagine what total lock down would do to mental health.
In one way , we are lucky to be able to stay in touch digitally with each other and access support online. In another way we are unlucky to be exposed to all the sensationalism every hour of every day .

We need to mind each other, from a distance . As humans,that's tough. We are used to constant contact and need it .

Hopefully , we will all help each other through it . I'm much calmer today and filtering what I read etc,and making sure it's from a reliable source before sharing with friends.
Take care, stay safe .

I'm sick with worry about my job.
I'm a chef in a small local business.
The owner is at breaking point with the stress of not knowing how to keep us in paid employment or knowing if they will survive a shutdown and be able to re open.
My mother is elderly and I'm just mentally exhausted with the unknown.

I'm still refusing to panic buy though.

Having said all that, I do think these measures are necessary

I can climb over my back fence and be in a forest without a soul in sight. I can drive on my own to any number of very isolated places. It's not black and white. For those of us who live in rural areas there's no one around so staying locked up inside is pointless, not selfish or weak-minded. On MN everyone assumes we all live in cities and towns.