How much longer are we meant to do this?

[Creamteaincornwall]

I have so many friends who are at the end of their tether. Some suicidal, many almost.
I attend a zoom support group for my mental health and emotional well being as I have BPD and ASD. The last few weeks have been horrendous, every person is at the lowest they’ve been since the beginning of all this.
The amount of posts I’ve read on various Facebook groups of people saying they don’t want to get up in the morning anymore, they just stay in bed. Surely this isn’t doing anyone any good physically or mentally?
Surely this will put most in a weaker position if they were to catch covid?

How much more are we all suppose to take of this? With no end in sight?

elli I think you have stayed in for much too long, and I am sorry this pandemic has done to you. Jokes aside you clearly have found this very hard and the bunker mentality is very hard to escape from if you are unaware that is where you are.

We will all be okay. We have much to look forward to.

I dont understand all the nastiness directed at ElliFAntspoo

The OP asked a question about current events. ElliFAntspoo answered the question with their opinion

Some people dont like what ElliFAntspoo said. Ok but why all the nasty personal negative replies?

I’m in the camp of things have to return once the most vulnerable are vaccinated, and why on earth are people being allowed to fly in when we know there’s a risk that mutant strains will render the whole vaccination programme pointless. Why? Why? Why? Just close the borders until you can get quarantine provisions up and running (and don’t get me started on how long that’s taking) and everyone coming in quarantines in the hotel - none of this “at home” crap. We’ll soon see how “Essential” people’s journies have been if they have to do that

When will you wake up and realise you are being told what you want to here, not what you need to know?

What do we need to know?

Government can't win on this one. They've been accused of being too gloomy/pessimistic/scaremongering when they present numbers and models of what may happen based on no action.
They are also accused of being too optimistic when they bring up game plans like "12 weeks to flatten the curve" or November breakdown for Xmas gathering. Viruses mutate and nobody could have predicted that it would happen when it did. In an alternative universe when the virus didn't mutate 5 day mixing and a rise might have happened but who knows.

If they admitted that they are winging it then they risk riots and non-compliance. The new mutations make it clear that you can't predict months ahead. We have data from Israel which suggests that 8 March reopening of schools for some is realistic but even BJ is being cautious now and saying that it's the earliest date as nobody knows what variants could suddenly crop up.

@Flaxmeadow

I dont understand all the nastiness directed at ElliFAntspoo

The OP asked a question about current events. ElliFAntspoo answered the question with their opinion

Some people dont like what ElliFAntspoo said. Ok but why all the nasty personal negative replies?

I'd imagine that's because you agree with what she is saying.

She's stating her opinion as fact, on a thread where people are struggling, and she's revelling in it. It's disgraceful.

Some of her replies have been nasty as well, but let's ignore that shall we?

I think you have to live in the here and now and make the best of it, who knows what will happen tomorrow. You can choose to do something positive in your daily life, whatever that may be or you can choose to dwell and wallow in all the negatives that are going on, we all only have one life, it really is down to you. For example if you are over weight start doing something about it, change your diet, start couch to 5k, such small changes make a big difference.

I'd imagine that's because you agree with what she is saying.

Not necessarily

She's stating her opinion as fact, on a thread where people are struggling, and she's revelling in it. It's disgraceful.

The OP asked for peoples opinion, people have replied..I don't see anyone revelling in anything. If someone becomes upset because someone else says "this could last for years", then they are probably better off not reading the thread.

Some of her replies have been nasty as well, but let's ignore that shall we?

No they haven't. Elli has given their opinion on events and some people don't like that opinion. But it's just an opinion

Instead of making personal attacks, argue the case.

@Flaxmeadow it's because they (like other doom posters) speak as if their predictions are facts.

On one occasion they even gave a specific date (30th Nov) for a future 4 month lockdown. Of course it's riles people up.

@CoronaIsWatching

I really don't see the justification in not completly going back to normal once the vulnerable are vaccinated. Yes keep tthe borders closed if you want to prevent variants coming in, but otherwise society needs to go back to normal.

I think in May if nothings changed all the pubs, restaurants, theatres and shops should form a sort of union and all just open up on the same day, the gov't can't fine and close down all of them and it forces the gov'ts hand

This absolutely

@ElliFAntspooi what is it that we need to know?

*Yeah, newsflash, people do tend to believe the government. Why wouldn't they?&
They probably don't now, but had no reason not to initially.
I guess being 40+ and having seen the endless scandals and manoeuvrings of governments over the years through countless crises and the need to move public opinion in favour of this war or that war by controlling the narrative, I'm not as willingly ignorant as many. If a person believes what their telly tells them to believe, despite all the evidence accumulated over their lifetime that they are being herded, manipulated and lied to, well they really are their own worst nightmare. That must make for a very fragile existence because they surrender themselves to the control of the prevailing narrative and have to deal with the constant lies. If you faced this level of lying, half truths and manipulative behaviour from a partner you would be considered in an abusive relationship. If you buried your head in the sand and pretended it was other peoples fault for pointing out the flaws and not his fault for manipulating you, people would say you were damaged and in denial. You don't get to walk away from your relationship with the world around you, but you do get to look at it from other perspectives if you choose to do so, and if those are too scary, then stay in your safe space, but don't ask and then complain about the answers.

You're starting to sound a bit tin foil hat wearing, you know?
I'm just calling it as I see it. I'm not saying this is a Gates Foundation 5G master planned global conspiracy to take over the world. or anything. Just asking why the F people believe what their TVs tell them? Its like they do not even have the ability to filter and question the information put in their head because a man behind a lectern in saying it with authority so it must be true.

File it under 'fact', and then get stressed and upset when the world doesn't match what they have chosen to file as facts about the world in their heads.

Realistically how and when do you see this ending.
I answered that already. In a nutshell - vaccination annually for most for a long long time. Rolling lockdowns for the couple of years where the population is rewarded for good behaviour with freedom to move and congregate, and punished for bad behaviours with strict lockdowns and a return to control and warnings that people need to behave themselves, for things like mass exoduses to Wales, parties in the woods, house parties, barbeques at the beach etc.

That of course completely ignores the economic impact on society, but that is a discussion for elsewhere I guess.

@Beaniecats and @CoronaIsWatching why would the government keep businesses shut for a moment longer than thought necessary?

@Flaxmeadow it's because they (like other doom posters) speak as if their predictions are facts.

Elli has not said they are facts. It's an opinion, just like other opinions.

Don't see the point in calling other posters "doom posters". It"s a pointless accusation and name calling.

On one occasion they even gave a specific date (30th Nov) for a future 4 month lockdown. Of course it's riles people up.

Why would someone get riled up by that? By a post on a discussion forum?

The OP asked for opinions. Elli's opinions are not even that controversial. Don't understand the pile on and name calling

@Baileysforchristmas

I think you have to live in the here and now and make the best of it, who knows what will happen tomorrow. You can choose to do something positive in your daily life, whatever that may be or you can choose to dwell and wallow in all the negatives that are going on, we all only have one life, it really is down to you. For example if you are over weight start doing something about it, change your diet, start couch to 5k, such small changes make a big difference.

Yes. For the fat and the obese I think you need to tax the F out of their habits, like any other habit. It generates income which can be passed directly to the NHS, and like alcohol and tobacco, the taxes paid on them far outstrip and additional burden smokers and drinkers may burden the NHS with. So tax processed sugars at 50% of 75%. The less processed sugar you can get going into people's bodies the healthier they become.

@Baileysforchristmas

I think you have to live in the here and now and make the best of it, who knows what will happen tomorrow. You can choose to do something positive in your daily life, whatever that may be or you can choose to dwell and wallow in all the negatives that are going on, we all only have one life, it really is down to you. For example if you are over weight start doing something about it, change your diet, start couch to 5k, such small changes make a big difference.

Have to agree with this. I fully appreciate some people are really struggling, but you really have to make the best of a bad situation and find positives, however small. My business is down by over half, my OH has terminal cancer, but there's nothing I can do about either, so there's no point in dwelling and wallowing in misery. DS is in his first year of Uni and is stuck at home after barely having any social or personal contact at his Uni, but, he too, is plodding on as best he can, spending most of his days staring at his ipad and laptop screens watching recorded videos of last years' lecturers (whilst paying £15k for his "uni" tuition and accommodation!). We had holidays booked last Summer for New York, a cruise, and Maderia as a "last hurrah" between son's A levels and starting Uni and OH's probably last year of being fit enough to fly - all cancelled! But, we're staying positive, even though we're shielding for OH so can't even socialise or go out to do whatever is "allowed". We're doing our best to enjoy country walks, watching the birds in the garden, watching TV box sets, etc. Keeping things "normal" and looking for positives is the only way we're getting through this.

@ElliFAntspoo so let’s say what you’re saying turns out to be the truth what should we do about it? Shall we make the most of every day and get on with our lives?

[quote pinkearedcow]**@Beaniecats* and @CoronaIsWatching* why would the government keep businesses shut for a moment longer than thought necessary?[/quote]
Exactly. In fact the opposite. Last Summer we saw how they opened things up too quickly, not to mention stupid things like "eat out to spread covid" to get the economy moving again, and ended up back in lockdown, which caused far more economic damage than if they'd have opened things up more slowly. I really hope the Govt (especial the Rishi idiot) have learned from that and won't be so "gung ho" about relaxing restrictions this time around.

Yes rolling lockdowns lasting at least 18 months, or longer

This is exactly what was said at daily briefings back in March and April. With scientists explanations and graphs

Why is this so controversial now in discussions, when we have all been told this from the start?

@Flaxmeadow if you can't see why someone stating their doomsday opinion as fact (and that everyone else's is wrong) during a discussion would rile people up then sorry, but I can't help you.

Especially when their opinion is very negative and is delivered in a matter of fact, almost gleeful way when some posters are clearly struggling with their mental health at the moment.

Until numbers come down substantially so people aren't at risk of dying just because they have to go to work or to the supermarket.

decimate every country in the world

Exaggerate much?

For the fat and the obese I think you need to tax the F out of their habits, like any other habit. It generates income which can be passed directly to the NHS, and like alcohol and tobacco, the taxes paid on them far outstrip and additional burden smokers and drinkers may burden the NHS with.
So tax processed sugars at 50% of 75%. The less processed sugar you can get going into people's bodies the healthier they become.

The problem with this is you'll get other equally as problems, as low nutritional value food = cheap food, so you'll get even higher rates of malnutrition and severe hunger.

The whole UK food structure is a mess.

@Flaxmeadow at the start we didn’t know whether we would get a vaccine. Things have changed. No scientists are saying we will carry on with lockdowns once the vulnerable are vaccinated.
The most pessimistic say ‘some restrictions’ this could mean masks for all you know. Because you don’t know.

OP - in answer to you, things will change rather than "end." Change will happen soon enough, as nothing stays the same for long and the situation will morph into a different version of itself. Covid will be here with us for a long time, but never underestimate the human capacity for adaptation. We will find increasingly innovative responses to this virus, and things will get better.

Spring is round the corner, the warmer weather will make a massive difference. Hopefully restrictions will start easing soon, roundabout Easter-time. This winter has been very tough for a many of us, but I really do think brighter times are ahead!

[quote xmasmob]@Flaxmeadow if you can't see why someone stating their doomsday opinion as fact (and that everyone else's is wrong) during a discussion would rile people up then sorry, but I can't help you.

Especially when their opinion is very negative and is delivered in a matter of fact, almost gleeful way when some posters are clearly struggling with their mental health at the moment. [/quote]
I don't see glee when I read those posts.

They are more negative than my views, but they are just views.

It seems to me a lot of people only want to read happy ever after and get very cross with any dissent.

[quote tatutata]@SavannahMiasMum To be fair, most governments have enacted similar restrictions and spunked similar amounts of taxpayer money up the wall. Maybe not quite as much money, or to quite as many of their mates to deliver FA. I don't even really blame the government that much, if anything I'm grateful they're not as seemingly nuts as Macron, who seems happy to stoke vaccine hesistancy.
But the money will run out, because jobs are going, and therefore so is tax revenue. That's basically why they're ploughing absolutely all their efforts into vaccination. I think they will just change their tune once all the jabs are in arms, and say that it's all quite manageable - even if the numbers don't look that great. I just want them to get rid of Priti Patel in the meantime, she is a psycho.[/quote]
Spitting image have most of the cabinet very well portrayed