Mental Health Impact Of Covid

[Super_Slav]

Suffered from depression since I was sixteen culminating in a nervous breakdown in my thirtees.

Medication helped but nowadays I just ride the storm. Some days I feel okay and some days I feel good but some days I feel just fucking woeful to be honest. You have to come to terms with it and that sounds hard but it's true. There's a graphic novel that I read a while ago about The Black Dog and a man who learns to embrace, quite literally, this caracature which represents his depression and anxiety. By the way, depression and anxiety are so different. For me anyway. For me it's acceptance and sometimes not trying to fight it - what's the point? Sometimes I can't win and sometimes I'll use all my energy for that day just to feel 'okay'. To accept you have the condition and accept it's part of you is a huge step forward, or it was for me at least. 

Focus is King and distraction also. Find something you enjoy doing and do it and enjoy it. Immerse yourself. And talk to people, obviously, but talk to people who understand you and if they don't or don't want to then quickly move on. Hobbies are good and exercise is better but don't become completely obsessed as that, for me, is part of the problem.

A day-by-day for me. I enjoy the normal stuff. Lockdown has been fine as it's given me time away to refocus and discover new interests. It's daft but when I open my eyes in the morning I know what they day's going to be like. Thankfully, they're okay at the moment but it's subject to change at a moment's notice. 

Stay safe everyone. And please do talk if you need help. I am here, and understanding.

Fair play for being so open.

[Birdman1811]

And yes if you're struggling post on here.

For all the bickering, you will get support like you wouldn't believe on here. Once you share a problem it suddenly becomes more manageable.

[HawkingsHalfpint]

Suffered from depression since I was sixteen culminating in a nervous breakdown in my thirtees.

Medication helped but nowadays I just ride the storm. Some days I feel okay and some days I feel good but some days I feel just fucking woeful to be honest. You have to come to terms with it and that sounds hard but it's true. There's a graphic novel that I read a while ago about The Black Dog and a man who learns to embrace, quite literally, this caracature which represents his depression and anxiety. By the way, depression and anxiety are so different. For me anyway. For me it's acceptance and sometimes not trying to fight it - what's the point? Sometimes I can't win and sometimes I'll use all my energy for that day just to feel 'okay'. To accept you have the condition and accept it's part of you is a huge step forward, or it was for me at least. 

Focus is King and distraction also. Find something you enjoy doing and do it and enjoy it. Immerse yourself. And talk to people, obviously, but talk to people who understand you and if they don't or don't want to then quickly move on. Hobbies are good and exercise is better but don't become completely obsessed as that, for me, is part of the problem.

A day-by-day for me. I enjoy the normal stuff. Lockdown has been fine as it's given me time away to refocus and discover new interests. It's daft but when I open my eyes in the morning I know what they day's going to be like. Thankfully, they're okay at the moment but it's subject to change at a moment's notice. 

Stay safe everyone. And please do talk if you need help. I am here, and understanding.

Glad to hear you are powering on, Nick. Especially med-free. I never felt worse than when I was on medication. It did absolutely nothing for me except exacerbate things. I have never felt better than when I came off, went dry, stopped vaping, and just cut anything unhealthy out. I began exercising more frequently, travelling less for work (only when I absolutely had to), making time for old hobbies and interests I had previously pushed aside for things and people that in the grand scheme really didn't matter a great deal; and are really not missed. The results have been quite astounding. 

When about 90% better, I was later diagnosed with acute anxiety and adjustment disorder. Given what was happening with work, family, divorce etc. it wasn't hard to see why, and the diagnosis fit to a tee. No pill was likely to have any effect until I had had a proper declutter of everything toxic.

But the one thing that got me through better than anything was my children. If not for them, then I seriously doubt I would be typing this now. They have always come first, but at times I just couldn't seem to make the time for them. Now I do, everything else just doesn't matter. 

I'd echo the above in that this bored is a wonderful place at times like this. This 'fred proves that there is always hope, no matter how bad, and that nobody is alone.

[garyowensneck]

Blimey what a sobering thread.

I consider myself lucky to not suffer from any mental health problems but even more so since reading this.

I arranged with work over 18 months ago that I would start working part-time this year from April ( I'm 61 ), considering what's happened since I couldn't have picked a better time.

My thoughts go out to all of those suffering and wish you well and can only echo some of the previous advice about getting out in the fresh air, hobbies, family, talking to people etc.

One of my neighbours trains people in mental health counselling - she's making an absolute mint!!!!!!!!

[BeijingBaggie]

It's nice that a bunch of blokes on a football forum can open up about mental health. I don't think this would have been the case 5-10 years ago and I think for a lot of us we've been brought up in England with a culture of having a stiff upper lip a feeling like the manly thing to do is shoulder burdens and keep it to yourself. That attitude doesn't help at all. It takes more balls to open up and ask for help than it does to keep it to yourself and it's encouraging that it seems like people are becoming more confident in doing so.

We put the Christmas stuff up here this week for similar reasons that you've all posted. Problem now is I come home, turn the lights on the tree and think.... I should probably be drinking it's Christmas!