For many of us the gradual easing of lockdown brings with it many opportunities that we have longed for such as meeting up with family members, friends, going for a lovely meal out or popping to the pub for that well deserved drink.
But for many of us, even the happy, much anticipated changes can be difficult for our mental health.
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. Being a carer of those that are still particularly at risk and vulnerable, can add to the pressures that you are facing reconnecting and it’s important to recognise as a carer that you have to still be vigilant in both your personal and working life to protect those that you care for.
Fear and anxiety are possibly the most common emotional responses any of us will feel as we approach the release from lockdown. Finding a way to pull ourselves through lockdown took a lot of our emotional energy and we may have found a place that lets us cope, and that we don’t want to leave behind just yet.
Many of us fear becoming ill with the virus or passing infection on to loved ones and those that we care for, as the risk increases when people interact. This is an entirely normal response, but risk can be reduced by following the guidelines that are given to you.
Every time we go back to something it is going to feel unusual or even scary. We might feel nervous or anxious. That may be because we haven’t done it in a while, and we’ve forgotten how it feels. It might be because things have changed because of the pandemic and the routines have changed – like one-way systems and queues to enter shops, it may be because people are starting to become complacent.
It’s important to acknowledge that these feelings are reasonable as well as understandable, and to expect them. It’s only by building up tolerance gently that we can move through these fears.
For many of us, the pandemic has increased our anxiety, or made existing mental health issues worse. It may take longer to adjust to necessary changes – for example one-way systems in shops blocking off safe exit routes or wearing face masks triggering trauma flashbacks, or panic attacks because of the sensation of not being able to breathe.
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. Remember though you are doing a great job, those that you care for and PCS appreciate everything you have done throughout this pandemic and remember you are not alone and your counsellor here at PCS is here to support and listen to the concerns that you may have.
