AIBU to think Coronavirus is a perfect storm for the nation's mental health?

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

There are SO many things happening all at once

• worries about own health
• likely loss of older relatives
• job losses, with no real prospect of getting another job for most people. Businesses will no doubt be folding left, right and centre (my own included)
• worries about paying the rent and bills, and whether or not you can actually keep a roof over your head
• with the job losses, people being stuck at home with nothing to do except ruminate over the problems we're in the midst of
• worries about finding enough food and supplies in the supermarket, and so being able to eat
• kids stuck at home; worries about education and progression.
• can't go out and do fun things you'd been meaning to visit for ages (that local visitor attraction? Closed. Planned to go hiking with friends this summer? Banned.).
• no idea how long this will go on for

And then to top it all off, they've removed access to social support networks. Under normal circumstances I'd probably go to the pub with some friends and drown my sorrows have a chat over a few pints, but you can't even do that nowadays!

I've got bipolar disorder and have now relapsed due to this situation. This whole thing is absolutely awful. 😞

I agree mental health will take a big knock over the coming months.

I’ve found myself not sleeping properly this last week or two because I wake up thinking/worrying. I’m crap without sleep so it then leaves me tearful and anxious the next day. Cue lack of sleep the next night.

I’m feeling like this and we’re in a better position than most, even though we would undoubtedly lose 60% of our income in the coming weeks, from my husband’s job. Can’t imagine how stressed some people are at moment

I’m going to try to keep exercising - when on lockdown probably twice a day - as it helps my mood so much and tires me out (so more likely to sleep)

I worry about the mental health of young children not being able to play with other children. It’s so important for their development and mental health

I also worry about the state of NHS staff once this is over

Young children are incredibly resilient Alltheusernames I think grown ups need to stop wittering on about the mental health of their children and teens and lead by example.

The economy is going to take a bashing so we need to start demanding workers' rights are protected and businesses supported. Unfortunately, the last GE gave us a PM and govt who had promised to trash workers' rights - we need to make sure they don't.

And our wonderful NHS has been in desperate need of reform for a long time. If it needs to be rebuilt after this, then we can ensure that it's done properly.

If we care enough.

Mental health services are struggling too with currrent demand. Staffing is normally a challenge, let alone with staff now isolating etc which would leave us struggling at the best of times, We are predominatly working remotely eg via phone call and obviously this can be anxiety provoking for people. Combined with the added impact of the isolation, and support services such as charities and community activities shutting means its a bit of a perfect storm. Staff are also preparing to be moved to essential services like wards which will impact community provisions also.

theres some changes to the mental health act to make it less reliant on doctors and simpler to section and ive been really impressed by the flexiblity and problem solving by some of my collegues.

Its going to be a bit of a climb for services just like it is for everyone but hopefully communities will band together.

Its just a lot of change in the short term to help people as best as we can

I'm a recovering alcoholic that relapsed today. I take responsibility for my own actions but the fact that I have no access to social spaces (I have no family or friends so being able to go to a coffee shop etc is a bit of a lifeline to me), can't go to the gym to exercise (which is what I do when my urges get bad) and all my AA meetings have been cancelled does make life difficult. I know there are ways round all of these things but the lack of notice is hard. Every strategy I've ever learned or been given to not give in to alcohol has been taken away, without warning , in the last 48 hours. It isn't easy and I have sympathy with others in the same boat

My mental health was already in a fragile state, it’s now in a complete mess. I am crying constantly. I have a one year old and I don’t feel I can be a proper mum to him at the moment. line edited out by MNHQ I just cried hysterically in a heap on the floor.
All my usual mental health peer support groups are gone, I relied heavily on these. The counselling I’d been waiting so long for is no longer happening until further notice.
The worst part for me is having no end date and nothing to look forward to. Not being able to see my parents and family/friends. I’m absolutely in bits.

Maybe people will get some perspective on what really matters and their usual lives. It could be a time for peace and seeing that their day to day worries just aren't that important.

Oh I'm so sorry, these are heartbreaking. Lots of us are here for you. We're all people behind the screens.

Please take care of yourselves. You're precious and we will get through this.

@JovialNickname

That was meant to be a positive post but cross posted with some really awful stories, sorry.

Add on stress of key workers with poor MH having to try to push back the feelings to get on with it.

I’m not a key worker. My MH has been pretty stable, but been knocked by isolating. I live alone which just has different challenges to being cooped up with other people. I made an early repeat prescription request which has not come through. I was relying on it to travel to be with my parents who are really my only support.

My mother's mental health has gone to shite since this started. She's an anxious lady anyway and a worker on NHS transport, she's essentially having a mini breakdown at the moment. She's signed off now. I'm trying my best to answer her phone calls and she's visiting a lot but it is getting a bit tiring. We're practicing social distancing, not isolation since no symptoms, so I don't mind. I'm the only one she has, so trying to prop her mental health up along with mine (doing okay actually).

YADNBU. It’s going to be very tough even for normally resilient people because so many of the standard ways of coping- taking your mind off things, looking forward to get-togethers, events and holidays- aren’t available. I’m generally quite good at focusing on the positive, but there isn’t any. And my particular bugbears are people who enjoy wallowing, and people with an authoritarian streak. I’m going to hate everyone in about another three days. I have one or two Facebook friends who are still posting irreverent, funny stuff and they are literally keeping me sane.

Yes OP, because of all the reasons you listed. Yet for some it will do good. Take me and my dh:
More time together
More time with the kids
Less work/ commute stress
More time in the garden
More time in daylight
Ability to complete work on the house and garden
Ability to help others
Feeling of purpose
My dh was seriously depressed, but has come into his own this week searching for solutions and being proactive.

Not to mention that we’ve just come to the end of a winter with endless rain and storms and it has been dry and sunny for the first time in months and all anyone is saying is STAY INDOORS and slagging others off for daring to be desperate for a bit of fresh air.

YANBU OP, I worry that people will not take mental health problems seriously at the moment (see comments like otterturk's)
I do worry about the emotional health of teenagers and young people in particular, given they are in an important stage of thier emotional development.

However, I am very worried about my recently widowed aunt.

I've heard a lot of people say that in a strange sort of way, it's calmed their previous anxieties. Perhaps after it's finished, people will have gained some perspective over what to worry about.

I think people will have to show a lot of self discipline, organisation and mindfulness here. I've started YouTube yoga, having a loose timetable for the kids including exercise for them. We can't go to attractions, but we can bake together and we can colour in and we can watch movies. Adapt to survive