Why is nobody listening?

[cantata]

I have lost my job, my income, my physical health and my mental health as a result of this lockdown (to which I am adhering, before anyone tells me that people will die as a result of my behaviour, and I should just stay the fuck at home. I am staying the fuck at home, because I want this to end).

I am not the only one in this situation. Why is nobody listening to us? Why is everyone going along with this narrative about "the British public is happy to be in lockdown"?

Some people might be. But could someone please, please listen to those of us who are not?

[ChessIsASport]

Ok. I see your point. I am one of those people who is very focused on practical solutions. But I know that everyone deals with problems differently and I probably misunderstood what the OP was asking for. I am not great at picking up on emotions even face to face!

[bathsh3ba]

I hear ya. I'm fortunate to be financially unaffected but the stress is real. In my village, a friend posted offering to collect click and collect shopping for people who were isolating and was flamed for taking business away from the village shop. The village shop is wonderful but it is small and cannot stock the range of a supermarket or feed the whole village. It's also expensive and doing very well when all other shops have had to close for now. I don't know why so many people seem to be being so self centred around lockdown.

[Wetfloortiles]

I understand. All the happy, jolly stay at home adverts give me the rage. I am not happy that through no fault of my own I've lost my job, my income and my freedom. I feel totally and utterly out of control. I admit that I've had suicidal fantasies (that I wouldn't act on) because I can't see light at the end of the tunnel. My parents are happy to be in lockdown forever, because they have a huge pension and no mortgage to pay. Even they have said they won't see me and my children until there is a vaccine. I feel totally and utterly alone. If I speak out about how I feel I will be called 'anti-NHS' or something similar. I also am fed up of clapping for the NHS and if I can't face dragging myself out the front of my house in my PJS at 8pm every Thursday, then I'm terrified my neighbours will all be talking about me and hate me. It feels like a religion that I didn't sign up to. Before anyone starts, I am incredibly grateful to the frontline workers and the NHS - I always have been. But actually, I am watching my childhood friend with terminal cancer have his treatment stopped for 12 weeks, and seeing 3 members of my family who are NHS consultants sit at home on £100k a year as all their clinics have stopped . But they're still happy to join in with the Facebook craze of #IamNHS and writing long winded posts about their contribution to the NHS to get congratulations, thank yous and everything else. Only NHS jobs seem to matter. Forget everyone else. The virtue-signalling is appalling. No one can give their neighbour a box of paracetamol without writing about it on Facebook

This whole thing stinks, and I can feel depression approach me like a heavy weight. I'm terrified and can't see an end to it

[twoHopes]

@ChessIsASport - no worries I totally get it. To be honest I've always been one of those practical people and so am learning the hard way how to be a better shoulder to cry on.

I just think that for a lot of people their job really is their identity, it's what they get up for everyday or have trained for all their lives. Losing a job can be a massive blow to your self-esteem and self-worth. Saying "just get a new one" might help you financially but it doesn't really solve those other issues.

[iamapixie]

@wetfloortiles. With u on all that.

[SoloMummy]

@cantata
the British public is happy to be in lockdown
I think that you're wrong. No people aren't HAPPY. However, the alternative is far worse and that's what people are grateful for.
Everyone, as a rule is finding it challenging. We all have different challenges as a result of the pandemic. No one's situation is more important than another's, everyone is just doing what they need to survive.
Remember if lockdown was lifted today in entirety, things really would be much worse for much longer.

[cologne4711]

I am in a very fortunate position, I have some work, DH has a job, we have a mortgage-free home and a garden and places we can walk/run/cycle.

We're also fairly introverted so not massively bothered about not seeing people. And we don't have small children.

It must be very difficult if you are stuck in a small flat with or without small children and don't have paid work.

But despite not being badly affected by the lockdown I very much hope it ends on May 8th (or 10th). I don't mean completely but that the government starts to lift it. The economy does matter, and we need to get things moving again (though with the no deal Brexit disaster looming at the end of the year, any relief is going to be very temporary and marginal - at least other countries will be able to get on with rebuilding their economies, we'll be deliberately sabotaging ours).

[B1rdbra1n]

Amazon is making $11,000 per second
Like a winged dragon predating upon us all, hoovering up all the profit until there is nothing left and it flies off to find fresh meat

[BestOption]

@cantata
I'm sorry you feel no one is listening 🌷

It feel to me like quite a lot of attention is being focussed on mental health & balancing that with other things. But I'm not you x

'We are all in this together'. Yep that might be so, but that's like a very tall person and an ant standing in a puddle. They might be better in it' but the impact is significantly different!!

Who do you need to hear you? (Specifically) and what would you appreciate them actually doing??

As for this...

I suppose what frightens me is that, if the government truly believes the huge majority of people are happy with what we have got, there will be no reason to try to find a way out

This you REALLY don't need to worry about. They WANT it to end, they WANT everyone back to work! They WANT the economy to start to recover FAR more than they care about the number who die - so please don't worry about it lasting a minute longer than it absolutely has to

You say you've lost your...

Job
Income
Physical health
Mental health

What steps are you taking to get any of those back? Would you like to talk about any of them?

[Tootletum]

Unfortunately even people who have lost their jobs seem happy to be locked up. Less than 20% of the population appears to want to relax the restrictions. I'm in those 20% but hey I'm a selfish bitch. Apparently.

[hamstersarse]

Bravo @Wetfloortiles

[LonginesPrime]

I don't think it's a case of most people feeling happy about being locked up - I think it's more likely that people are trying to stay positive and look for any little silver linings to guard their own (and their families') mental health.

[midgebabe]

There is a difference between being happy to be locked up and being accepting of the fact that it is the best thing as a whole for the country and the people living here. We can agree with lockdown without being happy about it

Like having a leg amputated to save a life ...best of a set of bad options

[PerkingFaintly]

Hey there. Hope everyone's hanging on OK today.

all round.

[cantata]

I will read properly later, and will respond properly too. But just wanted to say thank you all for such kindness. I wasn't expecting it at all, and I appreciate it enormously.

[Annarosez]

I'm sorry OP; it sounds like it's really ruined your life.

Thank you for sticking to all of the rules despite that. Just to say if counselling is something you think would help through this time lots of services are offering support online/through telephone appointments.