When does mental health supersede coronavirus?

[fourstarsoutoffive]

My young adult dd lives alone in a flat and is still working. She works in a job (non essential) that involves her being pretty much alone all day, just the supervisor pops their head around the door occasionally. Her job can't be done at home.

Anyway, after five weeks she is getting really low. Obviously we do zoom calls and she does the same with her friends, but the lack of real human contact is starting to have a detrimental effect and she wants to book time off and come here for a week.

I'm completely torn. She has no contact with anyone other than a weekly supermarket shop and we are in the same boat as we are working from home. WWYD?

I really do feel for people who are alone through this. I feel some tears and feeling down are inevitable.

The only thing I can compare this to is having a newborn - suddenly being thrust into to new and quite overwhelming world which can be very isolating. Most new mothers have down days and tears. I cried over something most days in the first few months, some days I felt like I couldn’t do it any more. Which is all just a normal reaction to the circumstances, and you do what you can to make it more bearable. Obviously some women have PND and need more support and a few have profound postnatal mental illness.

None of us can really adjudicate on here about what end of the spectrum anyone is at - I think we have to tolerate some of the misery of this because it’s simply the only way this works and will ultimately be the way we get out of this sooner and with fewer deaths. But people who feel they are experiencing or at risk of more serious depression or mental illness should of course be able to do what’s needed. It’s not an easy line to judge.

My view is that people should be looking at what else they can do to make the situation feel more sustainable- I‘ve heard of things like people setting up the Zoom equivalent of library where they just sit and read their own books whilst on a zoom call because it feels less lonely to be reading ‘together’. Sounds strange but apparently helping some people.

It’s ok to have a socially distanced chat - we have been dropping things with neighbours/friends then having a chat at a safe distance from the front door and blowing kisses.

I know none of it replaces a hug. But I keep thinking of the families who have had to have funerals where they can’t even hug each other - I cannot imagine how unbelievably tough it must be for people going through bereavement and not breaking the lockdown but people are doing it.

Not your question OP but I saw a post in a local Facebook group where someone was saying that their relative would not wear a mask for work because of mental health issues. At that point I definitely think the balance falls on the side of the physical health of co-workers and service users and you just have to suck it up or find a different job.

But if someone is living alone and wants to come to live with you, it's a no brainer, of course she should. If she does it after this weekend lockdown may be eased next week anyway so by the time the week is up there may be more flexibility about where she needs to be or she has a "bubble" with you and can move between your house and hers.

Also, the advice is “public gatherings of no more than 2 people”. As far as I am concerned this means you can meet one friend - maintaining social distancing - for a long walk or whatever.

Except that UK gov says exactly the opposite

Please use the following guidance in order to stay safe:
stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily
you should only go outside alone or with members of your own household

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