Let’s be kind to one another…a word about mental health
3 June 2021
It has been a twelve months like no other in living memory. If you cast your mind back to January 2020, could you even have imagined, in your worst nightmares, what we have had to endure?
The first lockdown; not being able to see loved ones, family and friends; only being allowed out for essential shopping and exercise; not being able to do almost anything!
We know that at times it has not been easy and I am sure that we have all seen people be a ‘little short’ as tempers are frayed and we all want to get back to as close to normal as soon as we possibly can.
Everyone has done really well to deal with all that has been thrown at us and fingers crossed, it looks like we are moving in the right direction.
Good mental health is linked to good physical health and I am sure we can all do with a little help in that direction. COVID-19, and the response to the pandemic, has been having a significant impact on all our mental health. Exacerbating this, there has been a loss of coping mechanisms for many, and reduced access to mental health treatment.
More than two-thirds of adults in the UK (69%) have reported feeling somewhat or very worried about the effect COVID-19 is having on their life¹. The most common issues affecting wellbeing are worry about the future (63%), feeling stressed or anxious (56%) and feeling bored (49%). Some of the drivers of these feelings include:
• Social isolation
• Concerns around job and finance
• Housing insecurity
• Loss of coping mechanisms
• Reduced access to mental health services
We all need to look out for one another in these troubled times. If you, or someone that you know needs help, don’t be afraid to reach out. Two groups that can help are:
Men Matter Scotland https://www.menmatterscotland.org/ – their mission is to promote wellbeing and to prevent suicide in men by supporting men’s mental health
West Dunbartonshire Health & Social Care Partnership http://www.wdhscp.org.uk/mental-health-services-for-cyp-adults/
