More afraid of being locked in my house than the virus

[zafferana]

Anyone else feel like this? I woke up early this morning feeling really anxious about the idea that we could all be locked in our homes, like is happening elsewhere. I'd be okay with lots of places being shut, avoiding mass gatherings, etc, but the thought that I couldn't even go out for a walk or a run, couldn't get the kids out of the house for some fresh air and exercise, particularly if they're off school. I'd be happy to keep at least a metre between us and anyone else, we'd avoid playgrounds, but just knowing that we couldn't do that makes me feel intensely claustrophobic.

We spent a day at home yesterday just to test what it would be like if we were all stuck here and it was horrendous! The kids were bored stiff and I had cabin fever by lunchtime. DH wasn't bothered as he's normally at work and so he bumbled in the garden (in the rain), but I'd rather take my chances than be stuck at home. We are all healthy and have no reason to think that the virus will affect any of us badly.

I totally understand the anxiety of the elderly/vulnerable who wish to themselves down at home, but for healthy families I think it would be far worse than catching the virus, particularly those with young kids.

Throughout history people have had to deal with worse situations then sitting at home for a month or 2. Guess what they persevered and you can too.

We really are the generation of snowflakes

@purpleboy ‘get in the right mindset’ - not actually possible when you have MH issues I’m never in the right mindset, hence the problem! Clearly no idea about MH - ignorant comment. It’s not about my son being ‘entitled’ it’s about me being mentally fit enough to care for him. Why is that so hard to understand?

@Rosehip10 you hope I get arrested? My son would end up in the care of social services. You should be ashamed of yourself, first for you disgusting comment and secondly for you blatant disregard and blasé attitude towards MH. ‘I’m alright Jack so fuck people with depression, stay inside until you’re suicidal!’

It is definitely possible to slowly build resilience and practice maintaining a positive mindset regardless of difficulties with mental health. It’s painful and it takes work and is mentally exhausting but it is doable.

@bluemoon1103 It would be you who would be selfish by saying I "must" take my son out. Your choice I guess. Deal with any consequences. HTH.

The "I'm alright Jack" attitude comes from you Blue

People have tried to be nice. People with MH issues are in lockdown all over the world and they've tried to help.

You aren't special. You won't be allowed out because your govt, if it goes into lockdown will be wanting to save your life.

And from you too. You’re okay to stay home so obviously everyone should be. Great logic there

You won’t be so blase when the suicide rates go up, wait and see!

Blue Why do you presume to know about me or my MH?
Your going on like your the only one in this situation, your not, millions of other people are going through the same thing as you, having the same concerns and worries, the fact is if it happens here there is nothing you can do.
What do you think people with MH are doing in Italy, Spain, France? They don't get a free pass, as shit as it is they have to suck it up and get on with it.
I'm sorry your in this situation, I really am, but having a plan in place is literally the only thing you can do right now.

I don’t want to go out blue but I will have to and in turn may risk the vulnerable members of my family.

I’m sorry for your issues. Unfortunately in my experience there will be no difference from people who end their own life and those who succumb to a virus. It has the same outcome. And both can (in some cases) be prevented.

These are worrying times and I fear that not being able to contain this virus to some extent will cause death rates far higher than those who take their own life.

It really isn’t ‘fuck everyone with depression’ - and I think you know that.

Yeah, I get that on an emotional level, OP.

I mean, I realise measures are necessary and I support them.

But as I'm sitting here, waiting to see the media conference of the Swiss government live, as new regional lockdowns are announced by the hour ... it feels surreal and claustrophobic and a lot more immediately terrifying than getting ill. Even very ill.

I'm a rather sober type of personality. Rather matter-of-factly most of the time. But, yes, this feels ... suffocating. As though you're beingbtaken to prison and you've your last ten minutes of freedom. I don't even want to go anywhere. But the mood is pretty apocalyptic.

It's hard to explain if you've not yet been in the situation.

8 minutes to go ...

Why is that so hard to understand?

It isn't. You don't seem to understand that people aren't saying you have to prepare to be nasty, or because they don't understand MH issues. They do. Unfortunately that doesn't change the situation at all. I wish it did.

Holowiwi Throughout history people have had to deal with worse situations then sitting at home for a month or 2. Guess what they persevered and you can too.

We really are the generation of snowflakes

That is uncalled for. Isolation is known to be extremely bad for mental health. There's a lot of things you personally may consider "worse" that I'd much rather face. Actually as someone with pre-existing MH/autism issues, I was struggling with suicidal feelings until a couple of weeks ago, and this pandemic has really helped (sorry - not trying to sound blase). That's not sarcasm - I've always been sort of instantly cured and good in a crisis, I've been really level-headed for a week or so now. So I'm no snowflake who falls apart at the slightest thing (and actual crises that have happened in life have borne this out). But isolation is something different altogether.

It'll be very hard on you if it's a complete stay-home instruction, BlueMoon. I get that. It'll be hard on many people for many reasons. Various of us here have quite precarious mental health that is barely kept balanced, and we do rely on outdoor exercise quite heavily.

Can you see any other outlets that might help you, and start preparing in that way? Funny films, exercise mat, a kit of some sort to do? DS (young adult with OCD) is thinking of stocking up on the Lego.

I feel more sorry for people in studio flats, or in a bedsit. How do they self isolate in that scenario with a shared kitchen and shared bathroom?

Or having one small window.

I feel so, so lucky to have a balcony. Even tho it's a step out one (basically it's about 1.5 metres wide, but like a few planks of decking out, so about a foot outwards), you can still just about get a beanbag on it and sit on it. If I did not have that, and it was simply a window instead that was waist high, I'd feel really trapped in.

I know a few people in the city centre that live in high rises and they are essentially in one room - with a small kitchenette (often around a corner, or in a little gulley set off), bed in one room, little bathroom etc. Their living quarters are so incredibly small, being stuck in that would be really awful.

Can we just be a bit kinder to each other please? Some people relish the idea of staying in PJs and not going out and some people recoil at the thought as it can be triggering. Let's be understanding during these testing times.

Well, I feel scared ... well, not scared per se, more like completely alienated from the rest of the species ... because I could be all on my own. For weeks. Or months.

DD is with her father and we've decided that she's better off staying there for the time being.

Work will be closed.

My family is a bunch of very closed borders away from where I am.

I don't suppose the cleaner will be coming in any more.

I've a feeling my new "normal" in terms of human interaction is about to be re-defined as "seeing my boss tell his kids that 'daddy's working and can't right now' via video chat".

This is utterly bizarre!

When did 'Netflix and Chill' stop meaning shagging?

When did 'Netflix and Chill' stop meaning shagging?

Around the time when 'vetting the bloke beforehand in a neutral setting' stopped being an option, I reckon.

Yes, the thought has crossed my mind!

Yes humans are social animals, but most of the people on this thread seem to be living with their families, and in a reasonably sized home with a garden or balcony. I don't understand why you can't even spend a single day together without it being 'horrendous', I've read this whole thread to try to understand but it still seems so strange to me.

It's not automatic to feel this way, there are all kinds of things you can do to make it more bearable. A lot of it is mindset.

We may be in these situations more and more in the years to come, there may be more waves of disease, more climate disasters, all sorts of things. It's a good idea to become more resilient if public life has to occasionally shut down.

I might be wrong but in these times it isn’t so much isolation but physical contact.

Social media, forums, face time and the like, mean we aren’t that isolated any more.

We all have high fences round here but we wave and shout above them.

To protect my family (older parents, very poorly sibling) I will likely have to move out, as I could be dragging home germ every day.

But I can speak on the phone or by text or whatever and it will be no different from when I was thousands of miles away when I was in the military.

Alone but not isolated. It will be hard for so many in so many different ways but we have to accept we are a few small steps in. There’s hard times down this road.

Protecting your Mental Health during the outbreak from the BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51873799

I might be wrong but in these times it isn’t so much isolation but physical contact.

Sounds about right!

I personally hate, HATE! the thought that, as per my current assumptions, my best case scenario of giving someone a hug again will boil down to "about July".

This includes my own child!

This shit sucks balls!!!

You are not allowed out for a walk or a bike ride (we live quite rurally and there are police circulating

So everyone will just die of obesity-related conditions instead...sat at home getting bored and eating chocolate!