COVID-19 AND IT’S EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND EDUCATION IN THE UK- part 2 of 8
2-Return to normality/ leaving lockdown
WHAT IS NORMAL?
People are desperate for a return to normality. What is ‘normality’ though? For many disadvantaged citizens, it means a return to the uncertainties of claiming benefits, of working zero-hours contracts, of being afraid to be who you are, of trying to make ends meet knowing you’re one unexpected bill away from joining the many on the streets or reliant on foodbanks. I ask you all, is that the normal we want to return to? Or is there a better way, a better country? One that would have prepared better and not underfunded public services like the police and the NHS in the first place… one where the wellbeing of the people is more important than profit and old loyalties…. one that defends rights and doesn’t stand by when they are violated…. one that doesn’t punish the vulnerable. It is my fervent hope that such a nation can be achieved in my lifetime. We’ll have to get used to things being in flux for a while yet though, as deeply ingrained ideals and concepts get turned on their heads. It’ll be worth it in the end, readers.
WHAT PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO POST-LOCKDOWN
According to this Abc.net article from Australia from 8th May (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-09/coronavirus-what-you-dream-of-post-lockdown/12222992 ),Australians were longing for physical contact with people and to be with family and friends. They made do with online socialising, but it wasn’t anywhere near adequate. It is hoped that people will emerge with a sense of appreciation for the relationships and activities they may have previously taken for granted as well as a gratitude for the things they have. It has been a time of reflection and getting back to basics. People’s values will have been reaffirmed and their priorities will have changed.
According to ‘What young people are looking forward to in the UK and how the pandemic has been good’ (https://jigsawonline.ie/young-people/looking-forward-to-the-end-of-lockdown/), young people in Ireland are looking forward to walks in nature, socialising, going out and being with friends and family in general.
According to the graphic below, showing what people were talking about looking forward to after lockdown on social media (English language posts globally) between 24th and 30th March 2020, our top priorities seem to be beauty therapy, eating out and time with friends. Going to the gym or back to work are among the lowest priorities, indicating that people would rather treat themselves and have fun than fulfil obligations. However, a significant number are still wanting to stay home and stick with lockdown entertainments. While many people want lockdown to be over ASAP, this clearly isn’t the case for everyone.
(Source of below image: Global English language social media mentions in connection with what people are looking forward to after COVID-19/quarantine/coronavirus, 24 to 30 March 2020)
BBC REPORT ON COVID ANXIETY
The following BBC report corroborates this idea of leaving lockdown not being good for everyone. It is from May, when the UK was mid- lockdown.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52443108
Many people are concerned about whether their leaders might be lifting lockdown too early, increasing the rate of infection. But some are also worried about returning to a more normal life. As we have seen in various other sources, while some people are keen to leave lockdown this isn’t always the case.
It won’t necessarily just be people with an existing mental health condition who will be affected either.
“After you’ve been inside for a long time, it can feel very strange to go outside,” says Nicky Lidbetter, CEO of Anxiety UK, a charity that supports people with mental health conditions.
“You perhaps lose your confidence to do things you haven’t had to in a while.”
She gives examples of face-to-face work meetings or using cramped public transport — situations that might have stressed or worried people even before they were concerned about the risk of infection.
“These things might have been difficult in the first place and having to return to them after having quite a sustained break might actually be very challenging,” she says.
It’s very important to be aware that everyone may struggle returning to life before the lockdown, even if they are perfectly healthy. Any major adjustment, even if it reverses a previous on, will take time to get used to. Don’t expect to dive right into life as before and be able to handle everything you used to be able to. It’s like recovering from an operation in the sense that you need to take things slow. Things won’t be completely ‘as before’ anyway (like transport rules and the need to distance yourself) so don’t expect yourself to cope fine.
While some people have been safe in the relative comfort of their own home, others have faced difficult and upsetting situations.
From the medical workers on the front lines, to the people trying to stop their businesses from failing, for them last few weeks may have been incredibly busy and stressful.
We often forget, in our natural self-absorption, that not everyone has had the same experience of lockdown as we have. Be aware that people will have struggled, and don’t feel bad for having struggled yourself. This isn’t easy when on social media or hearing about what friends or celebrities are up to, but we mustn’t lose sight of the ups and downs of life.
But one common factor we all share is the amount of change we have all gone through, in a very short space of time.
“It’s very stressful for people,” says Dr Steven Taylor, a professor in the psychiatry department at the University of British Columbia, in Canada.
“People are trying to cope by loving being in lockdown, by creating a cocoon of safety, a haven, to make the whole experience more tolerable.
“Ironically that can create problems later on because people can love their lockdown too much and become anxious about going outside.”
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When governments come to relax lockdown rules, Dr Taylor says good leadership will be crucial to helping people feel safe and confident in the change of policy.
“To help reintegrate people into a post-pandemic world, there needs to be clear communication from leaders, [saying] ‘It’s OK now to hug people. It’s OK to go to restaurants.’
“The guidelines need to be clear in people’s minds and that can help to reduce uncertainty, which will reduce anxiety.”
Great insights from Dr Taylor here. Leaving lockdown may have been/may yet be as difficult as adjusting to being in it in the first place. We have all gone through a stressful period and we should congratulate ourselves on surviving it. We now need to focus on a gradual reintegration into normal life. For some people this may take longer than for others, but embrace your situation and live without guilt or shame. It is certainly true that clear guidelines from the government are helpful for this reintegration. It is hoped that they can make up for previous confusion and contradiction by being clear now, or else there will be consequences for the individual and for society.
MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION ADVICE ON SUPPORTING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AFTER LOCKDOWN EASES
The idea of being compassionate towards yourself and others in order to ease the reintegration into normal life is a theme that is explored in more depth by this Mental Health Foundation article from 25th August.
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/coming-out-of-lockdown
The site notes that extra challenges are posed to those who had pre-existing mental health problems, to the elderly or otherwise vulnerable, to children and families, and especially those who experienced a bereavement during lockdown.
Just as it took us time to find ways of coping during lockdown, we should also expect that it will take time to find our way back, and to reconnect with life.
Our mental health tips: about finding routines, staying connected, eating well, and taking exercise apply just as much now as they did at the start of lockdown — arguably even more so as we remain in a period of high stress but with more demands on us.
Because our situations are unique to us, it is really important to try not to judge ourselves harshly based on what other people are doing. Everybody is facing uncertainty and challenge — and we have no choice but to move through it as best we can.
The only thing we can depend on in life is uncertainty. As we cannot eradicate it, we must live with it. Comparison to others does no-one any good. It makes our achievements and our struggles seem insignificant. Again, be proud of yourself for living through this time and acknowledge without shame that times have been hard. Be prepared to go through the same again when reintegrating. While advice on routines and healthy lifestyles are great, the most basic self-care concepts are saying Yes and No. Say Yes to opportunities and say Yes to learning and growth, but say No without guilt to anything that won’t make us happy or that’ll be too much right now. It’s important to go at our own pace to avoid burnout and to take things slow when going back to what we used to do, as there are still restrictions and we have been living differently for a while. Take the time to get used to things again and don’t feel bad about needing to do that. If there was anything about lockdown that you enjoyed (such as more time with family, more time for hobbies or exercise and less stress) aim to make these part of a new lifestyle for yourself. There is no need for things to go back to exactly as they were, or to feel that you must rush it. We all have more appreciation for the simple things now so don’t let life get in the way again.
The following points are good practical advice for dealing with negative feelings and easing back into activities. The only person we can control is ourselves and we are only responsible for our own behaviour. Don’t get yourself strung out worrying about what anyone else is doing or thinking and make changes to yourself when it is for your own benefit. It can be very important to remain calm and pause before speaking or acting, especially in a time when people are tense anyway.
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We might feel angry or frustrated at other behaviours and feel the urge to rush to judgment or make comments on social media that reflect our anxiety. It’s important to share concerns with people we trust but also to bear in mind that you can’t control others’ behaviours, and that commenting online can lead quite quickly to unpleasantness.
If you can, express your frustration quickly and privately with someone you trust, and then let it go. If we hold on to things we can get pulled into rumination — where we chew over things in our heads. If you have no-one to talk to, meditation or journaling can be helpful to release your thoughts.
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If possible, take things at your own pace — but try and challenge yourself to try something different each day or every couple of days. It’s very easy to allow the seclusion that was necessary in lockdown to become deliberate isolation as lockdown ends. Celebrate small wins (and big wins) and try and keep a note of what you are achieving.
For many people lockdown has been relatively quiet and isolated. Coming back into shops, traffic, transport, and work might lead to sensory overload — feeling overwhelmed by sights, sounds or smells. Headphones may be a good way to reduce some of this by helping you to focus and creating a distraction with calls, music, podcasts or audiobooks.