How long do you think we can tolerate this lockdown?

[TeethingAgain]

I know it's necessary and for thy e greater good, but how long do you think society will tolerate it before (more) people start flouting the rules? Are there psychologists who the government are consulting about how long humans can be expected to live like this? I know people say we are just being asked to sit on our sofas but that's a very simplistic way of looking at a gargantuan change in lifestyle and social habits which are engrained within us.

I think people could manage 8-12 weeks and I think the toll on mental health will start to outweigh the physical health benefits.

We had a holiday booked home in July to see our family, most probably won't happen now.

But we have each other, we have a comfortable home, our children are still getting educated, albeit it's got to be far more self motivated, we have sufficient food, the bog still works, the water out the tap is potable, DH has a job, and we have each other. As long as we stay healthy, and know we've done nothing by our actions to unnecessarily put ourselves or others at risk, we can do this.

I’ll tolerate as long as I have to, very lucky to have a decent size house with garden, no real money concerns at the moment and plenty to keep me occupied. Obviously hope it isn’t too long but I’ll be fine.

It would be very different in a smaller place with no garden and if I was still with my ex it would break me, every day would be dreadful. I can see how for many people it would be hell on earth for this to continue too long, cooped up with an unpleasant or violent partner, no money, a couple of demanding young children. It’s easy to say ‘it isn’t hard’ when it’s not hard for you

Families without savings and earnings are already at breaking point

Families in overcrowded accommodation without proper cooking facilities are already at breaking point

Self employed people looking at no earnings for many months are at £94 a week breaking point

More than 2 months will decimate the economy and take a lot of jobs down with it, its going to have to end.

I'm lucky in that I have a house with a garden, a great partner and two dogs to keep me company/busy during the day. I am not struggling yet but I have always been a homebody so it feels quite natural at the moment.

Walking the dogs has become something to look forward to and treasure.

The only difficulty is being pregnant and not seeing family. I think after 8-12 weeks of a lockdown, it would become difficult and a bit depressing. I'll stay home as long as necessary though.

I really feel for those without a garden because it makes so much difference.

Isn't it interesting, there were so many calling for school to be shut, lock-down invoked, because lives would be lost.

That happened, now it's well, we can't be doing this for very long, what about the economy.

I'm not sure we can have it both ways. I hope we can.

I think people will manage the three weeks generally speaking, but I think patience will want and we will have a max of another two weeks before people are just unmanageable in terms of flouting rules, unless serious crackdown ensues.

I'm coping OK with the lockdown. I'm pregnant and finding the changes to antenatal appts stressful and the worry of whether medical care will be available anxiety inducing. But otherwise we are ticking along OK.

I could do another month but after that my mental health would seriously decline. I take some comfort in my guess that a lockdown of six weeks or more is very unlikely because that would be disastrous for the economy so I'm predicting after the review next month the next six - eight months will be intermittent lockdowns combined with gradual re-openings and return to works, dependent on industries.

People will run out of money to buy food.

They have to pay their rent and utilities
they have no earnings
they have no savings
the DWP helplines are utterly swamped

Would you rather you or your family dies?

It is tough, but honestly it is not that hard. We are not confined to barracks as such, so for the sake of everyone we kind of need to get with the message.

There will always be those who have issues, and those who have a rebellious streak, and those who think the rules apply to everyone but themselves.

Tough times, tough measures. Observe them and we might just come out of this.

With due respect to those in difficult circumstances. It is Government and their supports or lack thereof you need to apply your wrath to now.

it will be months yet

i'm half hoping i will be furloughed....i want some time off!! i've got loads of paint and materials ready to go

i'm jealous of those who have time at home.

I honestly don't know how this will affect me. Only in the last couple of years has my mental health improved. At the moment I'm ok when I live in the moment, if I let myself go down the rabbit hole of thinking how long thes will last, I feel myself starting to panic, my chest is tightening thinking about it now.

I'm stuck in a top floor flat in busy area with ADHD dc. This is literally my definition of hell. Can't work from home so I've got nothing to do all day. My flat has one living/kitchen area, then two bedrooms and a bathroom, so we can barely even really have our own space. I think I could stomach it if I had a garden, but I can barely get through one day at the moment.

I’m still working. That will not change until they shut down people who can’t work from home.
To be honest I would be okay for a while. I have not had a break from work or time off since beginning of last August. With a ton of medical problems I could really do with a week off work to rest and have a break from the pain I get when working.
But for now. Food needs to be put on the table and I’m still allowed to work and petrified of not. So I will keep going

I'll do it for as long I'm told people won't be at risk of dying.

Yep, that.

I’m questioning whether I could realistically do this for 3 months- without seeing my sister and her family who are down the road! I think when people say 6 months there will be restrictions for 6 months but not this lockdown as such.

I think it'll be very difficult if the weather gets really nice. Lots of people will want to go out. The Brits are starved for sunshine most of the year, so it'll be really hard if we have a great summer!

Some already are in hell. Some could go on happily forever. Some will crumble next week, some next month. It's a different 'how long' for everybody.

We are both self employed, both can't work, can't claim money until June. Universal credit may not even cover our bills never mind food, and who knows when we could get that. We have some savings but that won't last long. DP had an interview for a wfh job for a call center today, and has applied to countless places including his old work, so hopefully he will get something. Luckily we don't have a mortgage or rent to pay, I am so thankful for that or we really might be fucked.

I'm just looking forward to feeling well again after 2 weeks of fever, exhaustion and sore lungs/shallow breathing. I will WFH and clean the house and I couldn't care less if I never go anywhere!

If people feel the roof over their head is secure and they can reliably get food etc they will cooperate for longer. The govt need to focus on continuing to improve the protection/provision of those things. Otherwise eventually there will be riots.

A week. I'm already completely done with it and absolutely exhausted trying to juggle everything.

Also my business relies on other people have to work. If my clients lose their jobs, I'll have no work to go back to, and who knows how long that will last, which is my biggest worry.

Would you rather you or your family dies?

Quite. Because that's the bottom line. The alternative to this would be horrific. I'm curious as to just how bad it has to get for people to realise that.

As pp have pointed out, it will be very different depending on the circumstances.

I'm fine with it. I'm an introvert in a privileged position compared with millions of people around the world. I won't run through the reasons why, as yet another person 'being relieved' about their many blessings and then ticking them publically off one by one, might be considered to be somewhat tone-deaf to the plight of others.

A little like the preppers of a couple of weeks ago, who repeatedly listed the amazing 'stores' they had to last a family of 12 until 2027, while simultaneously slating anyone who had just bought four tins of beans instead of two from Tesco. I'm glad they've settled down a bit.

I genuinely worry about how some people's circumstances and how they are coping. The nature of CV19 means that it's hard to help people beyond donating food and so on.