Mental health and CoVid-19

dePeatrick

Phoenix Wright wrote: »

Anyone else finding it impossible to get work done and feeling even more down as a result? My PhD work has gone down the gutter these last five weeks. Worried I'll get in trouble when I email my supervisor even though I've been trying my best to deal with things. There's just too much going on at home and across the country to focus fully and the constant anxiety does not help

Yep, and most other people I communicate with. Same problem, impossible to focus caused by anxiety.

KiKi III

I’ve started having nightmares again. I actually think it’s more to do with a breakup earlier this year than Covid, but it’s certainly not helping.

It’s annoying because I wake up disoriented and upset and that’s not the best way to start the day.

leahyl

Went to do the weekly shop this morning. Dunnes opens at 8am so was there for just gone 8 and there was already a queue wrapped around the building....obviously everybody else thinking the same as me "I'll go in early and get out of there fast" Anyway, it was very well laid out and there wasn't that many people around the supermarket - you could avoid - but my anxiety is up to 90 after it! I feel like it's a race and you're just throwing everything into the trolley as fast as you can :pac:

I need to take a few good deep breaths and relax.

Shopping shouldn't be like this!

fryup

i'm paranoid that every grocery item i buy is riddled with it...so i sanitise all items

...turning Howard Hughes???

leahyl

fryup wrote: »

i'm paranoid that every grocery item i buy is riddled with it...so i sanitise all items

...turning Howard Hughes???

Yeah, I try not to get too hung up on that part - it's not possible to sanitise everything - I figure if you just make sure you wash your hands regularly and don't touch your face, you should be fine!

I wore gloves, and then took them off when I got back into the car to go home (left them on the passenger seat floor) and then put them in the bin when I got home. Then I washed my hands when I got in, put away the shopping, washed hands again....:pac:

Foweva Awone

jaxxx wrote: »

Is there any mental health services going on or are they all shut down the same as most other things? Is counselling considered an "essential" service under COVID19? Not necessarily counselling pertaining to COVID19, let's just say 'other'.

My appointments with various mental health professionals are all going ahead via phone or video link at the moment.

freshpopcorn

Regarding shopping it's one thing I'm happy about is that I live in a small town. It's a lot more relaxed and there's no real queuing.

Jenna James

KiKi III wrote: »

I’ve started having nightmares again. I actually think it’s more to do with a breakup earlier this year than Covid, but it’s certainly not helping.

It’s annoying because I wake up disoriented and upset and that’s not the best way to start the day.

Sorry to hear that. I’m also going through a similar experience and can relate.

There’s nothing I can say that will help only maybe that you’re not alone and you’re very strong so give yourself credit for coping however you are. It’s not easy, well done.

Phoenix Wright

dePeatrick wrote:

Yep, and most other people I communicate with. Same problem, impossible to focus caused by anxiety.

It's actually horrible! Work just feels so insignificant now, especially when you're trying to keep the spirits of others up too.

ShineOn7

Was doing comparatively grand today till I saw something very random on a Social timeline and it snowballed into a wobble.

"TV presenter Kate Garraway's husband is in critical condition with it" says the article so I think "isn't she relatively young?" and start Google'ing his age, had he any underlying symptoms etc.

Turns out he's only 52 and no article mentioned underlying symptoms, so my mind starts to race up (slowly, over the course of a half hour) to panic again.

"He's only 52 and in critical condition, your parents are in their mid 60s and you're not exactly a teenager anymore", and that's - very randomly - what started a wobble today

The hope that this thing has a mortality rate of 0.5% stops me losing the plot when I keep it in mind. But then you see and hear and read of healthy people under 50 dying of it. That's the bit that scares me shítless. The randomness of getting that one particularly nasty strain of it

This thing is a bastárd for you mentally

Hobgoblin11

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Was doing comparatively grand today till I saw something very random on a Social timeline and it snowballed into a wobble.

"TV presenter Kate Garraway's husband is in critical condition with it" says the article so I think "isn't she relatively young?" and start Google'ing his age, had he any underlying symptoms etc.

Turns out he's only 52 and no article mentioned underlying symptoms, so my mind starts to race up (slowly, over the course of a half hour) to panic again.

"He's only 52 and in critical condition, your parents are in their mid 60s and you're not exactly a teenager anymore", and that's - very randomly - what started a wobble today

The hope that this thing has a mortality rate of 0.5% stops me losing the plot when I keep it in mind. But then you see and hear and read of healthy people under 50 dying of it. That's the bit that scares me shítless. The randomness of getting that one particularly nasty strain of it

This thing is a bastárd for you mentally

I’m at my wits end now with it

dePeatrick

Hobgoblin11 wrote: »

I’m at my wits end now with it

Yes it's really bad...I discovered that it comes in waves and then you hit a wall...a sort of morbid panic...lasted about 24 hours...hell absolutely! Am slowly getting better now.

I have been researching this since and it seems that what I experienced is common enough. You hit a wall and then improve. From what I read it never happens again, something about the brain rewiring itself to deal with something very new.

Hobgoblin11

dePeatrick wrote: »

Yes it's really bad...I discovered that it comes in waves and then you hit a wall...a sort of morbid panic...lasted about 24 hours...hell absolutely! Am slowly getting better now.

I have been researching this since and it seems that what I experienced is common enough. You hit a wall and then improve. From what I read it never happens again, something about the brain rewiring itself to deal with something very new.

I certainly feel I have hit at least one wall , the only time keeping me sane is saying to myself we are halfway through all this lock down stuff and if we are not I’ll deal with it then I suppose in a similar way

dePeatrick

Hobgoblin11 wrote: »

I certainly feel I have hit at least one wall , the only time keeping me sane is saying to myself we are halfway through all this lock down stuff and if we are not I’ll deal with it then I suppose in a similar way

There appears to be a final wall you hit...feels like you are going insane...You'll know when you hit it...total rock bottom...then I was completely drained for a few days, started eating again and returning to normal...no more waves of it coming. I understand exactly how you feel.

wadacrack

Its a strange time. Very nostalgic as nothing is happening and its hard to look forward. This has taken a big mental strain and still is. Just try to get through the lull's or tough periods during this lockdown and remember that this is very likely to get better as time goes on. We are now past the peak and while it will still be hard its going to slowly get better as the weeks progress

ShineOn7

I love this thread

That is all. Please continue

PTH2009

2 things I was looking forward to for the rest of the year are now very much in doubt

Concerts- 3 in june and 1 in November
Sport- GAA among other things

A very hard pill to swallow tbh. I suppose its saving me money in a way but its going to be a long long year. I know people are worse off but you have to look after your own needs and happiness for me is going to sport/concerts

Pubs/tourist places opening back up would be something as I could go on day trips

fin12

PTH2009 wrote: »

2 things I was looking forward to for the rest of the year are now very much in doubt

Concerts- 3 in june and 1 in November
Sport- GAA among other things

A very hard pill to swallow tbh. I suppose its saving me money in a way but its going to be a long long year. I know people are worse off but you have to look after your own needs and happiness for me is going to sport/concerts

Pubs/tourist places opening back up would be something as I could go on day trips

Was one of the concerts u were going to Guns n Roses? I hope with the concerts they don’t cancel them and just reschedule them till next year. That way u still can look forward to them.

PTH2009

fin12 wrote: »

Was one of the concerts u were going to Guns n Roses? I hope with the concerts they don’t cancel them and just reschedule them till next year. That way u still can look forward to them.

Surprising not GNR this time. Down below are the ones I had tickets for. Hopefully they get rescheduled. The who got rescheduled to March 2021

Duran Duran in St Anne's Park
My Chemical Romance in Kilmainham
Green Day in the RDS (Fallout boy and Weezer on the bill too)

Goose76

speckle wrote: »

a routine.
start with getting up at the same time
then night time
after 9pm no screen time
nothing in the bedroom to distract ie tv mobile etc
only what is needed for sleep or sex.
read a book if it helps or relaxing music or meditation that will turn itself off.
if tossing and turning get up for a short time
no excercise immediately before bed
milky drink or check health food shop eg valerian tea etc/check thats ok with gp
make your bedroom your sanctuary
if stresssed write stresses down put in a box
try a sleep reset like below
totally dark room
your body temperature needs to be slightly lower so turn down heat.
maybe open a window a little
do some research online
think beaumount or vincents has a sleep clinic with online resources
some good books/resources available online for free.
hope something helps in that list for starters
ps sometimes we think we are not stressed intellectually but our body and subconcious know a nd we are in the middle of major changes at the moment.

Just want to echo the bolded part - I know the original post is from a while back and the conversation has moved on since then but this is so, so true.

I haven't been crying or losing sleep or feeling depressed etc over the virus. Everyone I know is being sensible, thank god. I'm able to work from home and I'm generally in a good-to-okay mood each day.

I've coped well at adopting an approach of self-care and gentleness towards myself... balanced with a healthy dose of a'cop on and have perspective, you have little reason to worry in your circumstances and people have it much worse than you'. attitude I've been enjoying many aspects of the lockdown and all the time at home.

And yet, , despite all of that, my body is still finding its ways to constantly show me that I'm under stress. My heart rate is about 10 beats per day higher than average. I'm having vivid dreams every night, some disturbing (before all this I would rarely dream at all). My bowel movements are off. I'm very tired even though I have no commute and no early starts anymore. My sex drive is gone. No amounts of meditation, healthy eating and yoga are going to make those subconscious signs of stress go away, even if all the major indicators show everything is fine.

I just wanted to reiterate what speckle said as I know for many people they won't be feeling 'stressed' or anxious as such but they may still be not feeling quite right and subconscious stress could indeed be the reason.

Having said all that though (unpopular opinion perhaps), I do think people need to keep perspective and to try and focus on whats important here. If you still have your job and if you do not have any loved ones who have the virus or symptoms of same, try and keep the chin up. It sucks that things are being cancelled - as someone who was about to book a wedding and take the plunge of my driving test (both of which could be pushed out YEARS now), I get that frustration. But I got a tough love pep talk over the weekend and it helped. Try not to indulge anxiety if its merely caused by disappointment over planned events. There are far more important things out there. It will only add to anxiety about the virus if you allow yourself to be anxious over the more shallow consequences of the lockdown and restrictions as well.

A mixed bag of a post I know but that is my two cents.

makeandcreate

makeandcreate wrote: »

I think they are operating but not in person - some info here https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/mental-health-services/connecting-for-life/news/supports-and-services-during-covid-19.html
or call your local counsellor.

Person to person sessions are available if you are in a bad enough state. Had a constant low level of anxiety about Covid (waking up earlier than normal etc) until I got a kidney infection 2 weeks ago which completely wrecked my sleeping pattern. Lead me to having 4 sleepless nights in a row (probably insomnia). My GP finally referred me last Friday to the mental health unit in Mayo general hospital where I had a face to face session. Currently on Mirtazapine, plus sleeping tablets if I need them. Finding this all very hard to deal with to be honest.

ShineOn7

I spent a lot less time than usual on the reading and analyzing of it all today

Apart from a quick in and out I kept out of the main daily thread on this Subforum and a quicker than usual time spent on the two threads on it I was most interested in, (the Travel side of it and the Maths/Stats side), it was only about a third of my normal time trying to take in every single fact and figure

It wasn't a perfect day by any means, I felt the anxiety rise when the news came on a Radio station I was listening to, but I felt a bit more in control today. Not hugely. But a bit is better than nowt

Been getting an hour a day for two days now, in the sun or cloudy sun out my back garden, and letting the natural Vitamin D get on me

Hope the regulars in this thread are feeling even marginally better

Sober Crappy Chemis

As much fresh air as possible, avoiding non-reliable sources, avoiding speculation, and sticking with the facts have all helped me get through my cocooning.

(Oh , and getting threadbanned from the mega thread, thanks Beasty :pac:)

Take care of yourselves folks...

ShineOn7

More time in the back garden today, this time listening to a positivity podcast and I decided after to start doing walking laps of the garden for a good 15 minutes.

It sparked endorphins I haven't felt in weeks. Definitely more of that tomorrow

I'm back indoors now on the laptop and as soon as I started scanning Boards the feeling of hope dropped at little. I'm almost going to set time limits with myself with reading both Boards and other links on it all. There's information overload on Covid everywhere at the moment and so, so much bullshít about it all

The best we can right now is:

• Look after those we love
• Look after ourselves and be absolutely fúcking vigilant about hand hygiene and scrubbing down surfaces we're around a lot
• Distract ourselves away from the absolute avalanche of misinformation and opinions

Spending an hour researching vaccines and possible treatments won't actually help speed up either :-)

Hope you're well and would love to hear updates from regulars in this thread

Cheers

leahyl

Like most people, some days are better than others but I’ve been doing this constant throat clearing thing (think it’s a mixture of anxiety and sinus pressure) over the last few days and it makes me tired and anxious that I’ve picked up something. I’m trying my best to relax more but my shoulders are constantly tense and I have a mild tension headache lingering :-(

All I can say is thank God that I can still distract myself a little with work during the week - makes the time go faster.

Shineon I also find that Boards raises my anxiety levels but yet I keep looking at it! I’m a glutton for punishment!

Gonna get into my pjs now and wind down.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

PTH2009

My current routine is
Mon-fri- workout (stuff at home and walks), shopping when needed
Saturday- atm this is the only night I drink and for some reason 1 day a week drinking was unimaginable for me when I was working etc (possibly the stresses and that)

As my job is retail its anyones guess when I'll be back but hoping its soon enough. Feel when the pub opens I'll be back there and drinking 2/3 times a week

I do worry about if I get sick of my current routine and an extension of shorts on the 5th May could do that

fin12

Anyone suffering with issues around food n weight during this lockdown?

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I know of a few elderly people whose mental health and alertness is diminishing due to being forced to spend large amounts of time indoors and alone.

It would be great if the govt could relax restrictions in a way that could help alleviate the loneliness of our elderly population, without providing loopholes for the selfish brigade to start moving around all over the place and bringing us back to square one.

iamwhoiam

BellaBella wrote: »

I know of a few elderly people whose mental health and alertness is diminishing due to being forced to spend large amounts of time indoors and alone.

It would be great if the govt could relax restrictions in a way that could help alleviate the loneliness of our elderly population, without providing loopholes for the selfish brigade to start moving around all over the place and bringing us back to square one.

I think if they could see their families ,at a good distance of course ,it would help the eldery greatly . Even to have someone call and sit 3-4 metres away would help with the loneliness some must be suffering

PTH2009

Anyone else struggle with this video call stuff ???

I hate been on camera and dont feel comfortable doing that stuff