Until June?!

[Woman31]

Iv read today that these strict rules will be in place until June.

I’m going to go insane before then. How are people going to manage? Surely it can’t be that long? China didn’t take that long ?

My anxiety is so bloody high 😩

not sure it would happen here but pressure is building in Italy www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-italy-becoming-impatient-with-lockdown-and-social-unrest-is-brewing-11965122

You manage because you have to,

I’m in the shield group - we’re instructed not to leave our homes for anything (other than essential medical f2f appointments) until at least mid June.

So there is a real need to find ways to cope, whatever your particular struggle is. As you can get online, that’s half the battle done. If you are not banned from leaving your home for exercise, that’s another daily opportunity,

There are lots of volunteer groups springing up at the moment, and providing company (online or on phone, or at sage distance when dropping off shopping) - can you find one?

It isn't nice being locked down, but we need to remember that there are people fighting for their lives this very minute, we can do our best to focus on saving lives by staying indoors. I think it's also best to just focus on each day rather than a date when it will end, so much depends on how we manage to control the virus. You can bet that when we do come through this there'll be some celebrating!
I know it's hard for those with MH issues, but it will pass, we just don't know when.

I can't believe people are surprised. This is literally a pandemic. There is something called a 'second wave'.

We'll get through it because we have no other choice, short term pain, long term gain.

I'm just taking it a day at a time then looking at August, ignoring the bit in the middle!

Yes I can't give my mum a hug but I can talk to her, my Dad died 18 months ago - I'll never ever see or talk to him again, it could be a hell of a lot worse x

Yes it's hard but at least most of us have enough food, internet, garden, books to read, can get our daily exercise outside the house. It could be a lot worse. We will get through this. I think Boris has done a great job!!! 👏🙂

Take it a day at a time.

Find useful and enjoyable things to do at home. There are loads of online courses, museums to visit virtually etc etc.

Have a routine.

Exercise everyday (lots of videos on YouTube)

Stay connected with friends and family.

Limit watching the news to twice a day if it is making you over-anxious.

Make sure everyone in the home can get space from the others.

Seek help for any mental health issues e.g. from Anxiety UK.

You can do this. We are all in it together.

I know it's not always good to say "well other people have it worse" but in this case I think it applies!

We are so spoiled that we think our luxuries of baby groups, soft play, beauty parlours, cinemas, days out, etc are a god given right! The majority of us are in safe, warm homes with access to food, water and healthcare, even if it is not as freely available as it once was.

Many of those poor people that had to flee Syria have ended up in death camps like Moria and now have to deal with Corona virus on top of horrific conditions.

It's hard, it's shit and so many people suffer with poor mental health/financial problems that will get worse, I'm not dismissing that I really do emphasise 😔 I think counting our blessings is also important right now.

If the lockdown lasts till June, there’s a point where the effects of the lockdown will shorten more lives than the virus. My dad is 80 and widowed but otherwise in good health. He lives alone and none of us live near him. We now can’t travel or visit because of the virus. He has gone from an active social life to seeing no one (other than on video calls) and moves much less than before. Even after a week, there is an impact. If he has 12 weeks of this, there may be a deterioration in his physical and mental health that he may never recover from. At his age, his chances of surviving the virus are more than 90% and I would be willing to bet that three months of social isolation and inactivity will shorten his life.

Even two weeks of inactivity leads to significant muscle loss in the elderly and that is hard to regain.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.homecare.co.uk/news/amp/article/id/1618843/Elderly-at-risk-of-muscle-loss-urged-to-keep-step-count-up-this-winter

The weather is going to be getting better in a couple of weeks, might have some rain but the temps will get warmer.

We'll be able to fling the windows open all day, spend time in the garden again or walk to the park.

We'll all get more used to communicating by phone/Skype instead of face to face and it will all become more normal.

This is what we have to do so we have to make the best of it, there is really no other choice.

I have a long history of anxiety and SA - I have no friends, just my parents and my two kids. We had a routine all week - breakfast, garden exercise, home learning, craft activity, walk, snack & TV, more home learning, then tea, TV then bed. I coped all week with that well but the weather helped so much!

As soon as it got to the weekend and I tried to have "rest days" I ended up crying with despair, and we all ended up arguing - like proper screaming fights. Routine and distraction is key.

I didn’t expect anything less. Take it one day at a time.

The overall effect is what is being looked at eyewhiskers, not just the virus and economy.

This thread a perfect example of how it has become clear to those of us with severe MH issues that, when it really counts, we don't matter.

I hope they are looking at the overall effect. The way the virus is being reported seems to be fuelling panic. If deaths from any other source were reported in this way, it would also look terrifying.

Hopefully the lockdown can be related by end April, after which there is more NHS capacity and more people can be treated.

I’m really worried about my Dd3 too. She’s due to start school in September but will also be one of the youngest. I’m not sure she will be ready if she’s off for months beforehand.

Not sure why people are moaning about staying at home - would you rather you or an elderly relative was in a hospital on a ventilator? I can't stand staying home either and it's driving me mad but I know where I'd rather be and I'm thanking my lucky stars no one in my family is ill yet

A lot of people with MH issues find it LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE to ‘take things one day at a time’. I am one of those people. I have to look ahead or I feel more anxious, unprepared and end up in a worse state so I wish people would stop throwing that round as if it’s a solution.

It’s been made very clear, on MN in particular, that attitudes towards MH really haven’t improved. People only cared when there was nothing else to care about. Now we have to ‘get on with it’, ‘suck it up’, ‘become resilient’ etc. I really agree that the isolation and social distancing will end up being as deadly as the virus and will send suicide rates sky high. I think it would be socially irresponsible to have lockdown in place until June as the long term impact would be devastating not just on individual people but on the economy, small businesses etc.

The message is clear: MH is still seen as second fiddle.

It's not seen as second fiddle - and there should be measures in place to help every who suffers of course. But what would you recommend we do to get rid of this virus?

Not sure why people are moaning about staying at home

Just can't even be bothered to argue any more. What will it take for people to realise that those of us with genuine MH issues cannot just "suck it up". Would you tell someone with a broken leg they had to just get on with it and run a marathon?

I understand it's hard but is it really so bad for a few months ?
You can still food shop
Still exercise near home once a day
Like some say we have access to internet/ tv etc .
You can download newspapers/ magazines/ books.
You can talk to friends FaceTime / zoom
Online exercise classes on zoom too .
I feel sorry for the elderly and vulnerable how they are coping but the rest of us should be fine . Kids are very resilient so they'll be fine too .
I admit before this life was revolving round work / kids / housework and trying to fit in a social life/exercise/ time for myself.
I'm worried about my job but at the minute I'm getting paid and I'm taking things each day at a time . We are almost 1 week in now anyway it'll go quickly hopefully.

I didn't say 'suck it up' and I think people with MH issues must be supported. But there is a virus which is threatening the lives of millions of people which has to be eradicated

Also, would you rather elderly relatives on ventilators or thousands if not millions of suicides and other of mental health crises amongst not only adults but vulnerable children too?

Given my own elderly relative is racist, already has a condition which is likely to kill him soon anyway, and is still merrily going about his business while I am self isolating as I've been told to do, I'm sorry but yes, I would rather he was at hospital on a ventilator.

Not to mention all the suicides and other hardships which will be caused by the economy tanking.

@BlueMoon1103. Lets put mental health first then and if the impact of that us horrendous I hope you'll still be happy! No one's saying its unimportant but there are groups and support networks online and its up to YOU to look into things that will help you cope.