Mental Health Pandemic

How are you coping with this pandemic? How are your coping mechanisms?

According to the Health Foundation UK, more than two-thirds of adults in the UK (69%) report feeling somewhat or very worried about the effect COVID-19 is having on their life. The most common issues affecting wellbeing are worries about the future (63%), feeling stressed or anxious (56%), and feeling bored (49%).

The UCL COVID-19 social study of 90,000 UK adults has monitored mental health symptoms throughout the lockdown, finding levels of anxiety and depression falling in early June(2020) as lockdown measures began to lift.

When the pandemic first hit us there was a tangible feeling of hopelessness among some who feared that they might catch the virus and even die from it.

We know that when the lockdown measures were lifted in June people began to feel better. There seemed to be more hope that we were coming out of this pandemic.

Now the government has introduced new lockdown measures and people’s mental health, once again, is taking a battering.

The Centre for Mental Health, supported by 13 other mental health charities, has published a briefing paper COVID-19: understanding inequalities in mental health during the pandemic.

The point I am making is that many of us have found our mental health deteriorating as a result of this pandemic. Further, some of our coping mechanisms have been taken away. Things like friendships, communication with loved ones, physical exercises, and familiar meeting places being closed.

Black Dog Pastor is a place, I hope, where we can meet and talk, online. It is good to talk and to know there are others around who understand and care. BDP is a place to get support and help.

I hope it can provide much-needed support, help, and encouragement to those in Church Leadership.