Mental health and covid.

[LosingAfight]

I can’t actually sleep. I’ve never suffered from depression/anxiety ever in my life before, but I have been on anti depressants since last winter when the schools closed yet again. I have 3 young children, youngest is 2 but was diagnosed with CP in the February of pandemic, bare in mind I’d been saying since he was 6 months old that I needed to see a health visitor in person as he wasn’t meeting milestones.

I feel like im just living in Groundhog Day waiting for another lockdown. I haven’t even got my Christmas tree up for my children. I have got no energy, all of my support system I’ll have to isolate from again; And everyone just seems to be arguing about vaccines/booster/lockdowns etc.

I understand this is what it’s like for the extremely vulnerable all of the time, but it seems like every bit of hope we have of things returning to normal is taken away at every opportunity. And reading threads and speaking out on some threads on here being shouted down about ‘needing a lockdown’

I really think the people on mumsnet need to realise that not everyone is your stereotypical family of 4 that can work from home and still have support and not be in constant fucking dread, we were promised this was 2 weeks 2 years ago.

I actually don’t think that I can do it anymore and I think this is much more of a pandemic than anything else.

There’s no argument that there’s a lot more people like me that will be affected much more by another lockdown, forever, than people that will die from omicron.

Oh OP I'm so sad to read you're thread. You're absolutely right though? The effect on mental health is, although something talked about, something which is completely ignored. I've cried so many times tk my family about his this has effected me and how lonely I am (I'm a single mum), and their anxiety of Covid has completely taken away any understanding of that. It's so hard. I think alot of people are so consumed with their fear of Covid and their conception of how we should deal with it (isolation) their grasp of empathy/understanding has disappeared. My mym has completely disappeared, I just don't see her anymore :(
It's so tough, always here to talk. You're absolutely not alone ♥️♥️♥️

Me too op,me too.i hear you loud and clear, im there with you. Bone tired unable to sleep for fourth night.i have three kids also,one severely disabled requiring 2 to 1 support,lockdown killed me,we were just left.special needs school where i am shut for duration. Im physically feeling sick,shaky scared of this all over again,im covered in stress induced hives.i know i wont make it,its unbearable, my world has got so small and i seem to have disappeared into a relentless groundhog day of trying to manage but failing spectacularly.
I need normality help services,kids at school,i need to sleep to smile and be human.

@Defeatedbylife

Me too op,me too.i hear you loud and clear, im there with you. Bone tired unable to sleep for fourth night.i have three kids also,one severely disabled requiring 2 to 1 support,lockdown killed me,we were just left.special needs school where i am shut for duration. Im physically feeling sick,shaky scared of this all over again,im covered in stress induced hives.i know i wont make it,its unbearable, my world has got so small and i seem to have disappeared into a relentless groundhog day of trying to manage but failing spectacularly. I need normality help services,kids at school,i need to sleep to smile and be human.

Hi, me too. Please PM if you need. I know it seems everyone is calling for another lockdown but I know I also cannot do it. X

@Wednesdayafternoon

Oh OP I'm so sad to read you're thread. You're absolutely right though? The effect on mental health is, although something talked about, something which is completely ignored. I've cried so many times tk my family about his this has effected me and how lonely I am (I'm a single mum), and their anxiety of Covid has completely taken away any understanding of that. It's so hard. I think alot of people are so consumed with their fear of Covid and their conception of how we should deal with it (isolation) their grasp of empathy/understanding has disappeared. My mym has completely disappeared, I just don't see her anymore :( It's so tough, always here to talk. You're absolutely not alone ♥️♥️♥️

Thanks so much for your message!! I also won’t be able to see my mum again for support system as she’s vulnerable. So I’m here on my own with 3 kids. There’s so much more to this pandemic than what people think, I’ve lost a part of me that I’ll never get back, I’m also a single mum. It seems so black and white to others. Xxx

@Defeatedbylife

Me too op,me too.i hear you loud and clear, im there with you. Bone tired unable to sleep for fourth night.i have three kids also,one severely disabled requiring 2 to 1 support,lockdown killed me,we were just left.special needs school where i am shut for duration. Im physically feeling sick,shaky scared of this all over again,im covered in stress induced hives.i know i wont make it,its unbearable, my world has got so small and i seem to have disappeared into a relentless groundhog day of trying to manage but failing spectacularly. I need normality help services,kids at school,i need to sleep to smile and be human.

I wanted to add I relate to every part of your post. I know what I need to do but I can’t, I have no motivation. There’s lots of emphasis on how children are “resilient” and will cope without school etc but they’re not resilient to their parents not being able to get themselves out of this rut they will remember me this way forever and I don’t know what to do.

@Defeatedbylife my youngest, turned 2 in august was premature just before pandemic hit but every appointment from March was on the phone despite me telling them he wasn’t sitting up, eating, crawling only on one side took until this February for him to be seen once by physio, mri and diagnosed. We only just got FTF that have been cancelled and all playgroups are cancelled.

I have no support whatsoever and 2 other school aged kids, they’re 10 and 6. I’m 26 years old and honestly I don’t know where I’m going to go.

It is fully awful right now. It's a crappy cliche but we need to power through the next 5 days for the kids. So, practically, how are you fixed with arrangements? Have you bought presents? Can you chuck a tree up - even just a small one? When do you finish work? Food shop? I would honestly turn off the news (full of scaremongering and utterly unhelpful for anyone), and hide the coronavirus topic in MN. You've probably no appetite, but try to eat some protein at every meal to keep your blood sugar stable. Knock the sugar and booze on the head for a few days. Take a brew into the garden every morning as early as possible and let the daylight get to your eyes properly for a few minutes. Wim Hof breathing is great - you'll find guided sessions on YouTube. They only take between 5 and 10 minutes and I always feel better afterwards. I get the kids to do short Yoga with Adrienne sessions with me. They grumble but it ends up being a laugh and we never regret doing it.

@DiscontentedWoman

It is fully awful right now. It's a crappy cliche but we need to power through the next 5 days for the kids. So, practically, how are you fixed with arrangements? Have you bought presents? Can you chuck a tree up - even just a small one? When do you finish work? Food shop? I would honestly turn off the news (full of scaremongering and utterly unhelpful for anyone), and hide the coronavirus topic in MN. You've probably no appetite, but try to eat some protein at every meal to keep your blood sugar stable. Knock the sugar and booze on the head for a few days. Take a brew into the garden every morning as early as possible and let the daylight get to your eyes properly for a few minutes. Wim Hof breathing is great - you'll find guided sessions on YouTube. They only take between 5 and 10 minutes and I always feel better afterwards. I get the kids to do short Yoga with Adrienne sessions with me. They grumble but it ends up being a laugh and we never regret doing it.

Presents from other people yes. They will be here for them on Xmas morning. As of last last winter I’ve been off sick so only getting sick pay, but have just got enough on 21st to buy them one present for each from me.

I have a tree. I have decorations but I’ve just got no motivation anymore. I don’t know what I’m doing. I was so happy before all of this.

I also don’t really drink and not sure about sugar intake but I just try and make as nutritional meals as I can’t do for us all.

Go back to your GP and tell them all this.
Get the decs out, your ten year old should be able to pop them up /some of them at least.
Stop watching the news.

Stop watching the news and do not read anything covid related on MN. These are the 2 best things I have done for my MH in the last 2 weeks. If and when anything happens then I will deal with it, but otherwise all the rumour and speculation really makes me anxious. Focus on one thing at a time so first the tree and decorations, get the kids involved and get that done then that’s ticked off and is important for the children imo. Speak with your GP about how you are feeling and see if they can help. Take one day at a time x

Thankyou. I was really struggling last night/early morning. Feeling a bit brighter today. Haven’t got decs up but I have got them all out of loft to be done tomorrow. And everyone is very excited.

Feel a bit silly really, thanks for replies. X

Glad you are feeling a little better OP

Yes defo do the tree altogether it doesn’t matter what it looks like, let the kids do all of it - Put carols on - then wrap up and go out at 4 to look at xmas lights down the street and come back and make hot chocolate. It will be a huge effort but I am sure you will feel better.
I had post natal depression and the one thing that stuck with me was someone told me - you will get better - and you will I promise. And for what its worth i really don’t think we are going to be anywhere near to locking down like before. Take care

So pleased you are feeling a bit brighter. It's awful being awake in the small hours. And you're not at all silly ☺️

If you need to chat message me you are not alone x