The positive mental health thread - part 4

[Spudlet]

Keeping it positive, keeping our sanity, people 👍

I'm at work tomorrow (TA in a primary school; only rota-ed on once per week because my HT is a chuffing legend) and so many mixed emotions tonight. But mostly I'm so looking forward to seeing the children, even if there won't be many.

Weird, everyone seems to be having a difficult day today here and IRL. Tuesdays suck!

Hang on in there everyone. Saw landlord of our local kicking ball in park with his kids to day and seeing him made me want a drink by Pavlovian reaction!

Just given myself a slightly crap home haircut. Roped DD in too, but hers looks better than mine at least!

Feels a bit like the mid 1990s - I was always at home, bored and chopping bits off my hair, albeit it was Sun-In stripy blonde back then and now it’s boring natural mouse brown...

Also on a 1990s vibe - all this toasties chat! I was a weekend chef in a little cafe above an antiques shop and when it was quiet on a Sunday we would all make ourselves toasties. Used to love tuna, cheese and beans all together

@Bunnyflop I have tuna and cheese I'll get back to you and see how it tastes

Georgie says “hi” (where’s the food?)

@gingerbreadslice yes! Thank u.

@millie2013 Henry says hi Georgie! Give us a kiss! 😘

Gorgeous wabbits!

Hi Henry and Georgie say Willow, Alf,
Ben and Lily. ❤️
Thank you for the handholds earlier people.
Trying the chill with an early night and fluffy tv.
Dinner was chicken and mushroom pie. Lovely friends have dropped us various food stuffs today - very grateful.

Ohh those squishy bunnies! I’ve just come over all 🥰

Hi Willow, Alf, Ben and Lily! So lovely to see other people’s pets 🥰

How nice that your friends got you food @Benji13!

Talking of fluffy tv, we are watching a programme about the Bronx Zoo on Animal Planet. It’s exactly what we need right now.

@CommanderShepard I had my first rota-ed day at school today. Was very apprehensive but it was fine. Felt good to have little bit of something like normality!!

I had a very difficult pregnancy some years ago with DS. I was signed off work at 20 weeks and basically had to spend the rest of the pregnancy on semi bed rest due to pregnancy induced hypertension.
I had a few visitors and was allowed out accompanied but it was a bit like lockdown.
I had my own business and had to rely on staff to run everything. It was very stressful in many ways but I had to keep my BP down otherwise I ended up in hospital. This happened a few times.
Anyway I learned to cope by breaking down the 16 weeks into 4 week blocks.
I sorted out a daily routine, no social media back then but early internet was available.
No FaceTime or Skype but I did chat with everyone on the phone.
This lockdown is actually easier because DH & DS are here for company. There is so much more entertainment and virtual socialising.
It took a few weeks to accept my pregnancy lockdown. But I coped and the end goal was worth it.
I think that we have to focus on supporting the NHS and look at the situation as a global problem and not individual torture. If only half of us were effected it would be harder to cope with, but every time your mood drops remember that you are not alone in this lockdown. Everyone on the planet is facing the same restrictions or will be over the next few months.

Watch the international news, what is happening in India and neighbouring countries is horrific. We are so lucky to have a level headed government who have gently eased us into lockdown to avoid panic and excessive spread of the virus.
We have a free health service that has responded quickly to the pandemic, all be it with a few problems. But hopefully they will be able to save the saveable and give the dying a pain free dignified death. So many around the world will suffer horrendously.

This time next year we will look back and be proud how well we coped.

@Benji13 Your cats are beautiful

I have no idea why I haven't found this thread sooner (possibly as anything CV related has been rapidly hidden as panic inducing).

I've found the recent events have brought back some previous life trauma and absolute fear of everything falling apart again.

I'm doing my best to take pleasure from the small things nice fresh bread, some gentle yoga or a nice walk. Yet still I'm taunted by the social media posts that pop up all the time.

Thanks for the thread. I've enjoyed reading through.

I'm not too bothered about staying in at the minute as I'm just so scared to go out and worried about the future

I'm going on my first trip out to my doctors tomorrow to drop something off. I don't really want to but I have to

Morning everyone!

I am going to brave the supermarket today. I haven't left the house except for isolated walks for 2 weeks. It's scaring me but will do me good to have a change of scenery too. Am planning on buying a few morale boosting treats! Here's hoping my car starts ok

I'm done today.

I don't even want to get out of bed.

Utterly, utterly fed up of this now. I want my normal life back. I can't stop thinking of the joy on my daughters face as she walked to preschool. Gone.

Just want this to end.

I went to the supermarket yesterday. It was ok. Stay away from other people. Wear gloves if you can. It wasn't busy as the are only letting a few in at a time so it's easier to achieve that before with all the panic buying.

Good luck @noooblerooble! Shops are pretty calm from what I’ve heard and you definitely need to stock up with some treats

@willdoitinaminute you make a really good point, which is easy to forget- we are incredibly lucky to be in the uk, and some countries will be struggling so much more. The fact that for some of us it’s alien to not be able to get exactly what we want when we pop to shops, or to queue to get into a shop shows how far removed we are from what so many people worldwide face on a daily basis.

I’ve just realised it’s April today - dizzying to think of the pace of change in March, and looking back it’s no wonder we felt shell shocked by the speed of it all at times. Inconceivable for example to think at the start of March I went on the train for an evening out in London, and thought we might still be going on our big trip to SE Asia/ Australia in April (spoiler alert- we’re not!) I really do think this thread has helped with all of the mental upheaval of last few weeks and thanks again to everyone who’s contributed

P.S. had covid test at our hospital drive through yesterday so will keep you all posted

Morning All. @M0reGinPlease of course there will be bad days, tomorrow will be a better day. You've done so well and have cheered me up on here. We just have to take it one day at a time

Good luck with the test @Daffodilpasta

Lost you all again! Must remember not to go away from this thread

moregin I understand, are you able to go for a walk outside? Because I took my kids on a walk and we ran together, skipped together, the joy on their faces was just like their usual joy if you see what I mean.

My dh went to the supermarket yesterday and he said it was very calm, no queues , lots of stock, all he couldn't get was baked beans.

Anyone got any good news to share? I stupidly went over to the other boards and there is a huge amount of negativity over there, I I looked a few days ago and it seemed like it had calmed down a bit but nope. Also must keep reminding myself that all these people with expert opinions are most likely not experts at all.

@Millie2013 please can we have more pics of your beautiful bunny?

@M0reGinPlease there are times when I feel the exact same as you and like I want to scream. And times when I feel alright. It’s an emotional rollercoaster for sure. I really hope you feel better later. These are for you