Due to a rise in cases in the UK, the Government put our country into another national lockdown. This lockdown is necessary to defeat the virus and end this pandemic, but there is another nation-wide problem occurring because of it. This problem is the rise of low mental health for many individuals. As a nation, we need to work together to stay hopeful and motivated, but the question arising is how do we do this when everything feels so bleak?
In the first national lockdown, although there was still an issue with low mental health in our community, it was not as prevalent as it is now. This is because the weather was brighter, we had community activities such as zoom quizzes and clapping for the NHS, and overall, there was more hope for seeing the end to this pandemic. However, now the climate is darker and colder and many feels that we will never see an end to lockdown and restrictive regulations. This has led to people feeling low in spirit and unmotivated in their work and in keeping up with their typical daily routines.
Here is what a Counsellor, Bernice, had to say about it:
‘When we entered our second major lockdown in November, I noticed a significant change in what my clients were bringing to the therapy room. While the first lockdown was difficult and unknown to people, the weather was bright and sunny so going outside made life more bearable. However, November brought shorter days which were dark and the weather dismal. Summing up, the words to describe the present feelings of my clients are: Hopelessness, Bleak and a Lack of freedom and choice. These feelings stem from the uncertainty of when we will get back to a normal way of living and the inability to plan. ‘
Of course, the end of lockdown will be the most successful solution to helping out nation’s mental health, but unfortunately that is not a possible solution in this current climate. So, how do we combat this issue whilst ensuring we still follow the rules in order to stop this pandemic?
Although it is difficult to stay positive when everything feels so bleak, we must remind ourselves that this pandemic will not last forever. We must follow regulations and push through lockdown so we can finally see an end to this all. To attempt to keep our mind healthy, we should stay in touch with our friends and family and support each other through these difficult times. We must also not put too much pressure on ourselves to keep up with our typical routines, as it’s natural to feel unmotivated during these difficult times.
To conclude, times are very difficult right now for everyone as it feels like this pandemic will never end. However, we must remember that this will not last forever, and we will soon return to some kind of normality. In the meantime, we must be there for each other and try and get through this together.
