Does anyone else feel lockdown is having a big effect on their mental health?.

[studychick81]

In the previous lockdowns I had low moments but generally managed to stay positive. This time I am really struggling and I can feel my mental health deteriorating. I ve never felt this before. I am stressed with home schooling and trying to juggle everything else. My ds8 mental health is a worry as he seems to have developed some anxiety and doesn't want to go out, even in the garden. He wants a parent to do everything with him unless it involves wrestling his sister and so it feels so claustrophobic in the house. Everything is a fight with him, he seems to have lost the ability to play and the environment in the house has become quite toxic. I am trying to take the kids out a few times a week but it's a struggle with Ds and DH is working so it's always down to me. It turns into a fight so I have given up as I don't have the energy anymore for another tantrum.

I can't get to sleep until the early hours and find myself crying in bed about nothing in particular. so I am really exhausted, I am mentally exhausted but physically not so I think that's why I can't get to sleep. I used to run three times a week but I don't have time to do that anymore and have lost motivation. DH is trying to work from home and can't have the dcs anymore than he already is so I can work and study as he can't miss any of his own work. He runs his own business so it's constant stress and we rely on his income. Anyway, I feel completely unmotivated to go out for a run anyway as after a gruelling day inside I don't have the energy and it's miserable outside.

I cry for no reason pretty much everyday, I feel so switched off to everything. I don't have the energy to discipline the dcs and feel so down. I am meant to be doing university work this weekend but I can't face it so I am going to get more and more behind. I day dream of just going to a hotel by myself for a weekend.

I've felt like this since the first one. No advice to offer just empathy.

You are trying to juggle so much. It is really tough. I feel similar to you

Totally empathise. This lockdown is much tougher for a lot of people. I think we are all losing motivation because it’s ground us right down now. I’m sinking into apathy which makes me very miserable. It’s affecting my marriage for sure and in fact I’m going to book us some counselling.

All I can say is that it really won’t last forever. We will eventually start to do the things we used to do, and life will get better. Plus in summer the sunshine and light evenings should help a lot anyway. We’ve just got to hang on - bloody hard though

Thanks for the replies. I keep telling myself it's only for a period, it will get better. Which I know it will. However, I am not sure it will get better with ds8. Even when he went back to school between the last lockdowns he was happy in school but his mental health is not what it was. He's like a different boy. He wants to go home and go to school and that's it. Asking anything else is an immediate no and a tantrum. He's lost all confidence and it's anxious. I think that's what's upsetting me the most as I don't think it's click your fingers and back to normal for him.

OP theres going to be a lot of children with mental health issues from all of this unfortunately. And getting help for them is going to be extremely challenging I suspect. I'm hoping charities are going to be able to help. Meantime have you looked online for resources to help? Maybe some good books about his age group or anxiety in kids? Kids yoga and relaxation.

Also in my experience (I work in a school) routine and boundaries are quite important for anxious and insecure kids.

Yes, he is having online sessions with a child psychologist. He has boundaries and routine, that's part of the problem, he wants to do what he wants whenever he wants, he constantly fights against it. I think this is part of the problem with my mental health, I've reached the end of the road with it, I don't have the energy or mind set with it, I ve read all the books and tried everything.