Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[Beezerk]

Absolutely spot on, it’s almost like “mental health” is the latest fashion/buzz word for people to use as an excuse and imo, it lessens the impact for those in genuine need of help and who are struggling.

Bang on, there will be people genuinely struggling, of course there is, but the amount of people now throwing about the mental health line makes my pash boil.
I've had to stop listening to Radio 5 on a morning, it seems to attract a whole new generation of weak willed people, what ever happened to being resilient?

 

[Ethan]

No disagreement with what you say and I will admit that I have no idea as to what I am going through at the moment (child of the 70s so part of the don't talk about it' keep it all in until you have a breakdown generation) and I am probably guilty of brandishing the mental health card too easily due to a lack of real understanding. What I do know is that I am tired, unmotivated, quiet, maybe slightly withdrawn and sometimes randomly sad to a point of nearly being in tears. That is just not me. Don't get me wrong (and not to panic anyone on here) I am not suicidal and I would probably limit the impact at the moment to me be sometimes unpleasant to be around (couple of hours locked away with my xbox helps that) and me just generally not liking who I am at the moment.

I am a sensible, educated bloke. Lockdown has not hit me financially too much and I am honestly surprised at the impact that the lack of social interaction is having on me. What would help me, an hour at the weekend, sat in the garden (in a big warm coat) having a coffee and a chat with one other person, socially distanced. Basically something on the same risk level as a round of golf which, apparently, should be allowed.

Sure, I agree and sometimes feel the same. Other people have their own responses. But for many people these are acute stressors and when the situation changes not even necessarily getting back as far as full "normality", they will go away, at varying speeds.

 

[Liverpoolphil]

Echoing some other thougths here but wrt easing out of lockdown we messed up, now we have to pay - that means waiting months and months longer than other places to unlock until the whole vaccination program has completed imo. If we dont and open up again it's just thousands more unnescessary and avoidable deaths, which is borderline criminal to permit. Yes that creates no end of other problems but staying alive is more important, no matter peoples age. That's the price we have to pay (whilst waiting for vaccinations) for a combo of bad strategic decisions and a proportionately selfish exceptionalist populace.
Radio saying just now PM is going to outline another path out of lockdown this week, haven't we been here several times before?
Just wait for all the vaccinations, not sooner or it'll backfire....again.
Reducing restrictions to benefit economy argument is flawed, other countries showed early stringent control of virus works best for economic outcomes.

The whole vaccination program won’t be completed until October ?

Do you really see a 9 month lockdown - the results of that would be far damaging than any virus

 

[GB72]

Sure, I agree and sometimes feel the same. Other people have their own responses. But for many people these are acute stressors and when the situation changes not even necessarily getting back as far as full "normality", they will go away, at varying speeds.

I think there is a generational hurdle that needs clearing here. I am in full agreement with your comments earlier on this topic but there are generations that are having to face up to issues regarding mental health, me included, and we have no idea what to do or what is going on. We never talked about things, when these generations were growing up you generally ignored things or hid inside a bottle (saw too much of both of those when I was younger). For some to feel that their concerns are being dismissed, as I have felt on here at times (not anyone in particular) brings a trigger reaction to go back to the old 'man up' ways that you are used to. Many are not waving the mental health card so much as using the term, and this sums me up I guess, because they have absolutely no idea what to call what they are feeling and have no idea what is wrong.

 

[Liverpoolphil]

Well, there is, and will be, some genuine pathology in the population. But I get a bit pissed off at people complaining that because little Tarquin can't go to his karate lessons, it is damaging his mental health. No, it really isn't. There was some over entitled social media bimbo in the media today defending her decision to go to Dubai just before lockdown, for her mental health. She needs a kick up the arse, not demanding pandering attention from other people who will now be thinking "But what about my mental health, babes?" and getting reinforcement from others who also think they are missing out.

Fully agree in regards what you are saying about the demands from certain areas of society - nothing more annoying than these so called “influencers” ( whatever the hell that is ) flying to the Middle East and then crying about missing their family etc

That doesn’t help the people that are really struggling - my wife for example is very close to her mum and sister and last year she really struggled with it , she tried to work hard and locked herself into her work and it was very hard just to get her out of the house for a walk- it came to a head and she let it all out which helped and this time she is coping better- but she had myself and our daughter as support - there are many out there that won’t have that support and right now suffering in silence coping with what’s going on.

 

[Liverpoolphil]

Bang on, there will be people genuinely struggling, of course there is, but the amount of people now throwing about the mental health line makes my pash boil.
I've had to stop listening to Radio 5 on a morning, it seems to attract a whole new generation of weak willed people, what ever happened to being resilient?

That’s just a step up from the old “Man up”

Maybe some people are now being brave enough to open up about their struggles - ones person irrelevance could be the next persons real struggle and we should be careful when judging peoples resilience- we are all different

 

[Beezerk]

That’s just a step up from the old “Man up”

Maybe some people are now being brave enough to open up about their struggles - ones person irrelevance could be the next persons real struggle and we should be careful when judging peoples resilience- we are all different

Oh please spare me your faux outrage, you know what I mean.
When a woman phones a national radio station and says she's worried about her sons mental health as he's playing his xbox all day, that isn't being brave and opening up, it's as Paul says, jumping on the new fashionable catch phrase.

 

[Ethan]

That’s just a step up from the old “Man up”

Maybe some people are now being brave enough to open up about their struggles - ones person irrelevance could be the next persons real struggle and we should be careful when judging peoples resilience- we are all different

This is a tricky area. There is a spectrum ranging from people who are unaffected by the lockdown limitations to people who are isolated and desperate. Nobody, including me, is saying that the latter are not having a very tough time and suffering, but the aspect that annoys me and I am pointing to is the people in the middle who should be able to rely on their own resources, but who are being led to believe by others that it is just not normal to quietly cope with the boredom and frustration, and either 'Something Must Be Done' or they must tell the world about their feelings. That sort of thing is transmissible and causes others to do the same and all of that noise just gums up the provision of services to those who actually need them.

 

[stefanovic]

Being in two at-risk groups I had the Pfizer jab a couple of weeks ago and was told my second one would be in 21 days. This seems far less likely now.
First dose is supposed to give 52% protection rising to 95% with second dose.
Only side effect so far was a sore arm overnight, but second might lead to chills and pains, so will keep Paracetamol on hand.

Would like to predict what happens next with Covid-19 but as someone once said, prediction is very difficult especially when it comes to the future.

 

[GB72]

This is a tricky area. There is a spectrum ranging from people who are unaffected by the lockdown limitations to people who are isolated and desperate. Nobody, including me, is saying that the latter are not having a very tough time and suffering, but the aspect that annoys me and I am pointing to is the people in the middle who should be able to rely on their own resources, but who are being led to believe by others that it is just not normal to quietly cope with the boredom and frustration, and either 'Something Must Be Done' or they must tell the world about their feelings. That sort of thing is transmissible and causes others to do the same and all of that noise just gums up the provision of services to those who actually need them.

I agree with pretty much everything in that. What would help me is the language to be able to express how I am feeling (and to understand myself how I am feeling) without pressing the panic button. Another wonderful trait built into men in the 70s was there are pretty much 2 states in life, fine or at deaths door. That worked for pretty much everything, physical health, mental health, the full range. I think what many of us need is an understanding that what we are feeling is normal. How have I done that in the past, chatted to mates over a beer, found out that they and others have been through the same etc. I think for the older generations, they need to be encouraged to speak up as to not do so would see them revert to type whereas those who are simply waving the card to receive benefit or attention need to be shut down rather than encouraged (as the media, social and normal, is doing at the moment).

Believe it or not, just typing out what I have this morning has proved somewhat cathartic.

 

[Liverpoolphil]

This is a tricky area. There is a spectrum ranging from people who are unaffected by the lockdown limitations to people who are isolated and desperate. Nobody, including me, is saying that the latter are not having a very tough time and suffering, but the aspect that annoys me and I am pointing to is the people in the middle who should be able to rely on their own resources, but who are being led to believe by others that it is just not normal to quietly cope with the boredom and frustration, and either 'Something Must Be Done' or they must tell the world about their feelings. That sort of thing is transmissible and causes others to do the same and all of that noise just gums up the provision of services to those who actually need them.

I agree - and the key phrase is your first 5 words - it is very tricky area and that’s why 99% is best not to judge and allow the professionals like your wife and Jim’s to make those expirence judgements of people.

How people cope with the world is ever changing - many of us are indeed 60/70’s children where if we did have issues with suffered with them in silence and tried to ignore them - society in that respect is hugely changing and the stigma is slowly evaporating that used to be assign to mental health - there will always be the very small minority who leap onto it but it is a very small minority ( even if that’s the loud one and the one that gets highlighted by media ). It’s a minefield and my own issues over the past 40 years opened my eyes a lot hence I was able to recognise the signs with my loved ones

What does give me encouragement is the way that Greg is speaking and opening up and the reaction people get on here - it’s very refreshing and in some way I hope it helps people like Greg

 

[User62651]

The whole vaccination program won’t be completed until October ?

Do you really see a 9 month lockdown - the results of that would be far damaging than any virus

What's more damaging than being dead?
Lockdown easing doesn't work here because track and trace doesn't work here. You have to have the tools in place and compliance - we have neither. People ignore it because to too many me is more important than we in our society.
Better locking down for 9 months than another cycle like we've just gone through.
The British public cannot be trusted to use common sense, that's for sure.

 

[Ethan]

I agree - and the key phrase is your first 5 words - it is very tricky area and that’s why 99% is best not to judge and allow the professionals like your wife and Jim’s to make those expirence judgements of people.

How people cope with the world is ever changing - many of us are indeed 60/70’s children where if we did have issues with suffered with them in silence and tried to ignore them - society in that respect is hugely changing and the stigma is slowly evaporating that used to be assign to mental health - there will always be the very small minority who leap onto it but it is a very small minority ( even if that’s the loud one and the one that gets highlighted by media ). It’s a minefield and my own issues over the past 40 years opened my eyes a lot hence I was able to recognise the signs with my loved ones

What does give me encouragement is the way that Greg is speaking and opening up and the reaction people get on here - it’s very refreshing and in some way I hope it helps people like Greg

I think the greater one's expertise, the further along the line of 'is it normal for lockdown?' you can reliably comment. I have done some psychiatry myself, and seen some of these general pictures, they aren't unique to Covid, but part of the human condition. There has always been a group of people who are essentially well but obsessed with external events and the need to seek help. These people used to be called 'neurotic'. I think there are others who are attention seekers, traditionally for ego reasons, now a small but annoying subset because it supports there social media brand. That social media influencer who headed off to Dubai from which she posts Instagram pictures does not have mental health issues beyond some annoying personality traits. I grew up in NI and during the late 70s and early 80s, it was normal to spend long periods very near one's own home and in relative isolation. That was in the days of 3 TV channels, no local cinema, no theme parks and sod all else to do for any people. It may be no coincidence that the school of 'Catch yerself on' psychiatry was strong there.

Once all this settles back to some form of normality we will see what we are left with. My suspicion is that most people will be fine.

 

[road2ruin]

Better locking down for 9 months than another cycle like we've just gone through.

Not with standing that a 9 month lockdown simply wouldn't be possible there wouldn't be anything left of the country when we were out of lockdown. Remember there are millions out there who have had no Government support at all during this despite Rishi telling everyone that 'no one will be left behind' then there's the lower paid who cannot afford not to work so they'd still be out.

In a fantasy world where there was a 9 month hard lockdown it would only be feasible on a financial front if all bills were frozen for that period and everyone was paid a 'wage' to ensure they could provide food for themselves.

 

[Lilyhawk]

What's more damaging than being dead?
Lockdown easing doesn't work here because track and trace doesn't work here. You have to have the tools in place and compliance - we have neither. People ignore it because to too many me is more important than we in our society.
Better locking down for 9 months than another cycle like we've just gone through.
The British public cannot be trusted to use common sense, that's for sure.

Locking down for 9 months, when you've vaccinated the absolute vast majority of people who die (and are being hospitalised...) from this disease in the first 2-3 months?

Now that isn't much of common sense, that's for sure.

 

[SocketRocket]

Not with standing that a 9 month lockdown simply wouldn't be possible there wouldn't be anything left of the country when we were out of lockdown. Remember there are millions out there who have had no Government support at all during this despite Rishi telling everyone that 'no one will be left behind' then there's the lower paid who cannot afford not to work so they'd still be out.

In a fantasy world where there was a 9 month hard lockdown it would only be feasible on a financial front if all bills were frozen for that period and everyone was paid a 'wage' to ensure they could provide food for themselves.

There's no guarantee in this life that all will be honky-dorey, go back a few generations and most people were hard up when we had to pay the price for the war. One way or another we have to recover from this virus and face the consequences of it. Looks like we may have to go through something similar again.

 

[road2ruin]

There's no guarantee in this life that all will be honky-dorey, go back a few generations and most people were hard up when we had to pay the price for the war. One way or another we have to recover from this virus and face the consequences of it. Looks like we may have to go through something similar again.

I think the difference was the collective pull in the same direction and most were in the same boat. In this some have had a pretty easy ride on a financial front whilst others have watched their businesses, savings etc all disappear. We've got around 5% of the working population who are in this situation through no fault of their own yet 'no one has been left behind'. You then have people questioning why some aren't sticking to lockdown or no isolating. In a lot of cases they cannot afford to.

 

[fundy]

I believe that some level of relaxation will happen from February Half term - schools mainly primary schools will open up from the first week in March amongst other businesses and potentially outdoor sports like golf and tennis clubs.

The indoor stuff - gyms , pubs etc. won’t be until after Easter

And we will be in some level of Tier system from the end of Feb/beginning of March.

All depending on if the vaccine levels continue as they are , the number of cases continue as they are and the hospital admissions reduce as they expect.

Whether or not that’s the right thing to do I’m not sure but that’s what I see happening - there will be some level of reducing the lockdown after half term.

Sounds like theyre aiming to open up schools on March the 8th if safe to do so

 

[GB72]

No announcement on lockdown plans until 22nd February so at least March before any change.

 

[SocketRocket]

I think the difference was the collective pull in the same direction and most were in the same boat. In this some have had a pretty easy ride on a financial front whilst others have watched their businesses, savings etc all disappear. We've got around 5% of the working population who are in this situation through no fault of their own yet 'no one has been left behind'. You then have people questioning why some aren't sticking to lockdown or no isolating. In a lot of cases they cannot afford to.

Regarding social equality it's never been any different, there have always been social/economic divides. The big difference these days is the belief of an entitlement to a nice standard of living. That bubble is about to burst and the reality of a bust economy will emerge. Muck happens and we just as well do whatever is needed to get us properly out of this mess rather than give in to the unrealistic short term demands to get us back to the pub or dinner party.

As I have said previously, the deciding factor on when we can get back to opening up schools, shops, bars etc should be when it's safe to do so and not when its convenient.