Is now the time that depression is starting to hit?

[ImfinallyaMummy]

The first 3 weeks we felt like it was a holiday, a bit of a novel way to spend time doing things we never do. 3 weeks on and depression is starting to take its toll. It's like Groundhog Day,

No day is different, there's nothing to look forward to and can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Even when lockdown ends the threat of the virus is still there so life won't return to normal.

How are people coping? Isn't depression starting to sink in now with others?

Someone told me week is when it suddenly gets hard. Something to look forward to.

I'm taking it a day at a time. There is so much we don't know; very little point trying to second guess the future. So although I sympathise with you feeling depressed (seems a fairly logical response to what I think it collective shock, stress and grief), I don't share the idea that 'life won't return to normal'.

Practical things to think about: Are you getting outside into the sunshine? Keeping in touch with people? Have you got projects you've been putting off for ages that you might like to think about?

I cope by meditating, just 20 minutes a day. It pretty much always 'resets' me - though I note that it doesn't work for everyone and can sometimes exacerbate mental health issues.

I also am loving the spring, the sun on my skin, the smell of flowers, I ate lots of chocolate today. There's lots to be grateful for if I look for it. Hope you feel better soon - I find my mood has gone up and down, and is gradually settling.

Yes...I've been fine for the last 3 weeks, but today woke up feeling really down at the prospect that the threat of this virus and various phases of lockdown is our new normal for the foreseeable future. And, that's assuming they can produce a vaccine. It has scared me for the first time and I cant seem to pull myself out of the funk. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day. One day at a time, that's all we can do, and that's a day closer to resuming normal life (whatever that normal life ends up looking like).

I haven't minded it to much up until now, it has felt less stressful to work from home generally than commute. However I have felt depressed today. I think it's the realisation that this could be long term, we could lose our jobs, the prospects for two of our dc leaving school and Uni wont be good and my dh is in the high risk group and I have no idea how we will minimise risk to him in the long term without putting the whole household's lives on hold. How can the kids ever go back to school when dh is at risk from every contact they make, every student they come into contact with, every trip out they make ? I don't know what we will do long term and it's causing a lot of anxiety.

I hear you OP, today has been my first really bad day..
I just can't be arsed to do anything, whats the point? I can do it tomorrow, or next week, or the week after..
Spent most of the day in bed, but i've no DCs to look after and living in the middle of nowhere, i don't even know if anyone else is out there anymore.
Thank god for MN!

Yes, it's tough. Especially when the weather is poor

I would feel a whole lot happier if I could have confidence in the government to manage this. We should have been testing extensively and contact tracing like Germany has

My answer wasn't in the spirit of the thread.

I hope you are feeling more positive today OP?

Wouldn't say I was depressed but I do feel a bit flat at times, and yes I also feel it's very Groundhog Day and repetitive. Really hoping that restrictions start to lift by the end of May

Second half of this last week is where I've really started to sink depression-wise, I was struggling with anxiety prior to that which was kind of understandable with the whacking great big pandemic aspect of things!

That's how I feel a lot of the time- flat. The rest of the time I'm focusing on people dying and the worst outcome of everything. It's making me worry about everything.

With Easter almost out of the way, and nothing special to look forward I can imagine that people will start getting more depressed, anxious and mentally unable to cope. There needs to be a plan now, a timeline but I'm not sure when the government will come up with one.

If at all possible, try and secure an hour of your day just for yourself @ImfinallyaMummy, do something that you like without having to look after the family. And go out for exercise. Try not to look at the news and think about CV too much. Also, count your blessings at least you are not sick or are having to work as a HCP being exposed to all the suffering and the virus.

It is getting tougher each week and the prospect of being told this afternoon it is going to last a lot longer is also tough. Try to remember that statistically only 0.0001% of the population have died so far. I think worst case scenario is 0.001%. When I get worried I try to hold on to that.

In terms of being down, I find the best thing is to find a project to throw myself into. Whether that be clearing out a cupboard (low on my list ) or finding a new hobby idea. Browse Pinterest and copy an idea there. If nothing else, if it goes horribly wrong you’ll have a good Pinterest fail photo to amuse your friends with.

Podcasts and audio books are fantastic for walks and keeping you distracted during boring jobs.

Basically I am just trying to get through each day. It’s all you can do. My friends and I book to meet for ‘coffee’ on FaceTime during the week or a walk and talk (headphones in, walking in different places at the same time whilst chatting!) Things like that can give you a little boost. Maybe try and book one thing for each day of the week. Let’s face it, everyone’s stuck at home so they are all looking for distractions too. Try NOT to talk about Covid19 when you do it.

I feel for you, take care and remember the great Mnet adage, this too will pass.

I’ve found today hard too. I slept too long, found Joe Wicks a bore (when I usually really enjoy it) and I don’t feel productive at all. I feel like I should be doing more than I am, which makes me feel shit. I don’t actually mind too much that I’m not doing a lot, but the comparison to other people who seem to have baked everything going and learnt up to degree level Japanese make me feel a bit crap about the fact that I’ve just about managed the washing up and a load of laundry.

It's been kind of the opposite for me. I was quite stressed/worried initially but am feeling much more relaxed now. My motivation is better than it has been in a long time and I'm cracking on with spring cleaning. I think I've found stuff that works for me.

I hear you OP. I'm v lucky and am v aware of my good fortune. As an introvert being in solitude gives me pleasure and I have time-served hobbies which have taken me through bad times before.

But today? That solitude has turned to loneliness (live alone), those hobbies are desiccated and lack flavour or pleasure. Motivation is zero as I look at my grubby untidy home. Am contemplating turning on the TV in the day time - unheard of!

Dreadful day - but of course it isn't when compared to a billion other people's days so then I feel I shouldn't grumble. Which makes me feel more sorry for myself ... I'm sad and lonely.

The first 3 weeks we felt like it was a holiday, a bit of a novel way to spend time doing things we never do. 3 weeks on and depression is starting to take its toll. It's like Groundhog Day,
It was the evening of Monday 23rd March that this lockdown was announced so this is the 21st day.

I think it depends on whether you are prone to depression anyway. I don't think everyone would necessarily suffer depression as a result of the current restrictions. Some posters are even positively enjoying the time. Got to admit, I'm not finding it too difficult but appreciate lots of others are.

I'm sorry you are suffering. Are you actually depressed or just feeling a bit low? Is there a particular aspect you are struggling with like not seeing friends and family. If so, can you not video call more frequently? Is it mainly the uncertainty of when things will change that is bothering you?

HMSSophie I hope tomorrow is a better day for you.

I have days when I feel really bad, as though we are all just sitting ducks for the virus. Other days I feel more hopeful.

I have been depressed in the past, and am depressed again. Lockdown has removed all the things that pulled me out of it before.

I loathe it. If we had an end date in sight, that would make it very slightly more tolerable. But the open-endedness of it is beyond endurance.

celan yes, if we had an end date, even if it is weeks and weeks away, it would help.

I threw myself into decorating, spring cleaning and childcare, but today I feel miserable and disorientated. Lacking in any motivation. I just want to leave the kids to it, lie on the bed and watch TV.

I have never had depression and this isn't it I'm sure but just the weirdness of the whole thing and the anxiety for the future with no end in sight.

I thought initially by mid May all would return to normal but it isn't.

I'm shielding a vulnerable child (got the letter at last) so it's probably more stressful for me.

Yes it has really started getting to me lately.

Then again I've been depressed in the past and I'm suffering massive sleep deprivation so that probably doesn't help.

I've felt awful today. Not helped by a rocky road making catastrophe (there's a very sweary thread over on chat about my inability to make anything other than a mess with melted chocolate) that has made me feel absolutely fucking awful, way beyond a normal response. That's a bit of a warning sign for me.

I think having Easter on the horizon was a good distraction - something to plan for and look forward to. Now that's done, DH will be back to working from home from tomorrow so it'll be back to me and the kids full time, and nothing to look forward to with no end in sight.

I need an end date. Not just "we'll review in x weeks". End date, stages of lifting lockdown, what we can do when. All the stuff they don't know!!

That is exactly what I said to my Mum this morning - there is NOTHING to look forward to. I'm grateful for the good things I have I really am. But I'm unhappy.

I was pretty upbeat until today, where everything feels suddenly really shit. I think for me is thr end of thr Bank Holiday and the fact that tomorrow Dh and I are back at work, after a short break, and back to juggling 4 kids whilst wfh.

Also this time of the year we normally look forward to a holiday in the summer, but now that is dissipating too. Can't plan anything and have to live day by day. Difficult.