Health Matters: None of us would want anyone to suffer in silence
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Louise Bussell, NHS Highland’s interim chief officer for health and social care, on how to look after your mental health during lockdown.
The last year has been a desperately difficult and challenging one for all of us with the Covid-19 pandemic having a huge impact on our lives in so many different ways.
It has been an exceptional time for everyone, whether it is because of employment and financial issues, loneliness and isolation, family pressures or physical health concerns related to or impacted on by Covid-19.
The start of the vaccination roll-out has hopefully given everyone new hope for the future but our personal experiences and the continued lockdown are still with us.
Recent indicators have shown that seven in 10 adults are very or somewhat worried about the effect of Covid-19 in their lives with high levels of anxiety and low life satisfaction.
Even under what many of us now look back on fondly as normal circumstances we all had the potential for experiencing mental health problems and many people already live with mental health difficulties as part of their daily lives.
Given this backdrop, there has never been a more important time to focus on how we can care for our own and other’s mental wellbeing.
It is important to acknowledge that it is totally understandable for the current situation to be affecting how you feel. There are things you can do to help yourself but if you are really struggling you may wish to consider seeking help.
Most of us will have someone that cares for us and would want you to ask for support. This may be family, friends, a neighbour or someone that already provides care for you.
None of us would want anyone to suffer in silence if we could help.
If you do not have that sort of link or do not feel able to speak to them there are always other ways to reach out with local and national helplines or support services.
There is an important role for formal support services to play as well as the many and varied community organisations that are there to lend a hand or offer a listening ear.
Creating a routine can help you feel in control and reduce anxiety but allow yourself the option to do something different too.
It helps to plan ahead to try to have something to look forward to even if it is simply eating something special, phoning a friend or going for a walk.
Watch the news and access social media if it helps but balance with other activities.
Exercise and eat a regular, balanced diet as this can help with your mood and assist with your physical health which links to your mental wellbeing.
If you are working from home, make sure you separate work time from personal time and if at home with nothing to occupy you try something new or revisit an old hobby.
While it is important to care for yourself it is equally important to care for others so get in touch, particularly if it is a while since you spoke to them.
You could make much more difference than you could ever imagine.
