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.

I do really worry about people living alone who are self-isolating right now. They're looking at potentially months with no real life human contact. I try and facetime a friend of mine who lives on her own in a tiny flat in central London every other day. She's trying to stay upbeat but I can already tell she's struggling and it's only been a week.

Because of DP and DS being in the risk group, we have already been in lockdown for 3 weeks, this is moving into our 4th week.
I have never been so bored in my entire life.
I totally get why we're doing it, I even get pissed off seeing those shamed online for not.
But I'm going to be honest, I cried like a twat yesterday. Literally was so low I couldn't speak to anyone. I got up, went to have a shower, just as I always do, and I sat under the shower in pieces. DP came in as he thought something was strange as I had been in there for ages.
The water was cold by the time I could pull myself together enough to not upset or worry the DCs.
DO told me to go back to bed and read, sleep or watch sky on the PC. I put the Sky on but I wasn't watching it, it was background noise. I just kept bursting into sobs.
I don't even know why. Nothing had set me off.
I've been OK today, but had to do some shopping and I felt so sad in the supermarket S people literally look like they don't want to be there and don't trust anyone around them even at the marked out distance.
Having nothing to do, nowhere to go, no chance of seeing mates or deciding to go for a coffee, knowing DDs birthday is going to be pretty shitty, it's all just hard. We had so much freedom and gave it up in the greater good.
For those a few weeks behind, trust me, it's difficult. However much you try and find stuff to do, it all seems pointless.
There's only so much binge watching you can do when the sun is shining and you would like nothing more than to go to the park or the beach or swimming

I got locked down more than ten years ago when I got sick and lost my job, or the ability to do much at all, never mind go out. Its a boat many chronically ill and disabled people are in. Life on the sofa isn't easy, but it's definitely survivable and being sad and angry and frustrated and bored (and having no end ever in sight where for those incapacitated only by lock down will get normality back) doesn't automatically mean mental health crisis. Among the many people I've spoken to with chronic illness, they get very angry, very sad, very frustrated at times, but even with the additional feeling like crap or in pain all the time on top of losing their freedom and being stuck in the house (or in bed) none of them have had mental health issues. Just hard feelings.

You figure out a way to deal with it, you find the things you can do and enjoy them, you get on with life as best you can. That isn't heartless, it's the reality of it. It's doable. And you will have an end in sight to this, it's weeks. That's all.

@ListeningQuietly i agree. I have no income overnight and won’t get compensation owing to the nuances of my job. So lonely, mental health issues, aged relatives struggling in isolation. Other non corona but very significant problems with dc. I’m awaiting an investigation which had previously been deemed urgent into a health condition. Now no end in sight and it could be sinister. Need to keep going for youngest dc but fuck me this needs to end ASAP

it’s lives vs lives- austerity, mental health, this isn’t as straight forward as people like to make out

At the moment, unfortunately, yes it is. This virus is a huge threat to everyone. Mass death and grieving would also cause a huge increase in MH issues and austerity.

And yes, before posters tell me what a selfish witch I am, Ann Frank, etc, I’d very happily die if it wasn’t for my child

For as long as it takes for the virus to pass. 3-6 months is nothing when taken the average lifetime into account

*taking

There is 1 police officer for every 536 people in the UK.
Once people realise that, there is no lockdown anymore.
No mass civil unrest, just a complete inability of the state to actually control anything.

I have to say, I’ve gone a bit stir crazy already! I have 2 kids and I’ve hired a hot tub and started rapping!! Wife isn’t too pleased to be honest

Those of us who had good businesses and incomes at the start of March and are now looking at no income for months and months and months
with exactly the same bills to pay
are struggling already.

Look at the news from Sussex to see where lockdown could go wrong

I think most people could take it for 4 months but I think after that point people would just start going out because they will be going insane!

You can only keep people inside for so long before they start rebelling

3 weeks.

Then 3 weeks.

Then 3 weeks.

I was widowed with a 12 year old a few years ago.

We've worked really hard to build a new normality to find ways to cope.

We coped by driving to the hills and climbing them, or by driving to the seaside and buying ice cream or just going to the cinema

All. These lifelines have been taken from us.. So my teen and I are not coping..

Once people realise that, there is no lockdown anymore

Oh ffs - seriously? You want to go out and get the virus, crack on. Don't moan when you're left gasping for air on a trolley somewhere though as the NHS can't cope.

It's okay to feel like this is shit, this is so unfair, you can't cope.

Cry! Rage!

But do try to comply with what is meant to keep you, yours, and everybody else safe. It really does suck, but this too shall pass. It will.

For as long as it takes for the virus to pass

It's not going to pass though, it doesn't just go away. If all we had to do is stay inside for 3 months and then it magically disappears then great. But it won't. As soon as we start socialising again the cases and deaths will rise.

I think it depends very much on personality. I don't mind the staying In. I get my energy from quiet. I have my family with me, my friends on video chat, I work from home a lot anyway, so no real change there. Yes it would be nice to go out but as long as there's a good reason not to then I am fine with complying. Some people don't like being told what to do it and that's the rub ( rather than the actual staying in), others genuinely need to get out everyday and need daily social interactions. It must be very difficult for those.

I'm on week three now and it's getting hellish. I am hoping it gets better again - love the first 2.5 weeks, bossed them.

But it won't. As soon as we start socialising again the cases and deaths will rise

Not necessarily. And even if that happens, at least the NHS will have some hope of coping with the numbers of sick people. Without the current measures, that would not be possible, even with conference centres set up as ITU units.

for its length i think they need to be actively putting in place more help for mental health.i know right no they are to busy saving lves but in doing so they have also now pulled away the support systesm that will be saving many lives in social care side of things.
therapies.social care.or other types of help for the emotional side of things have either been pulled or scaled back.this will and already is having a devastating effect on a area of health already fucking too limited.

I'd be fine if it was just me and my husband but I'm climbing the walls already trying to entertain a 2 1/2 year old. The days feel endless.

My DS7 isn't coping well. He's autistic and absolutely thrives on getting out and about.... Not sleeping properly,. Missing the stimulation of school... Today has been a long and depressing day indeed at Casa Mawbags.

It's not bothering me to be honest, but I realise I'm lucky. I'm unemployed so am used to not being able to go out much, and I'm an only child so used to entertaining myself, and I live alone and am more than happy about that.

I can stick with it as long as I have to.

And even if that happens, at least the NHS will have some hope of coping with the numbers of sick people.

I understand that but a lot of people seem to think we all have to lockdown for a few weeks until coronavirus just disappears. It's not going to disappear, it's already spread across the entire world. Until we have a vaccine, which could be years away, we will all be at risk of catching it.