The impact of the pandemic on mental health

Today is the National Day of Reflection.

One year ago, the UK went into lockdown. Today the nation reflects on the lives lost and the impact of the global pandemic.

It's given me pause to reflect on the impact the pandemic and multiple lockdowns have had on our mental health and wellbeing. The human brain is amazing. It is a powerful, adaptable, and ever-evolving tool. It can solve problems and create ideas.

But it is also designed to keep you alive and safe. This part of the brain can go into overdrive. Alert to threats and dangers, it can become hyper-vigilant and take over our thought processes.

A year ago, weren't we presented with one of the biggest threats ever known? The global pandemic has pushed many people into a state of constant anxiety. Even small things can now trigger an unwanted response in people who were previously coping happily and well with life.

Some people have realised that they had actually been living with anxiety all along, but the pandemic pushed them to breaking point. Symptoms such as obsessional and compulsive behaviours started; food turned from a comfort to a crutch, alcohol from an escape to an addiction. 

For some, the primitive response of 'freeze' or 'retreat and hide' turned into crippling depression. Without the normal routine of work, school and social life, some people found they ground to a halt. The less they did, the less they wanted to do. Severe depression got a grip.

The effects of lockdown were stark - staying at home, not interacting with others, not going to the gym, not being able to learn and work and 'do' within the framework we'd been conditioned to operate within. These restrictions cut off the normal activities that generate things like serotonin, dopamine and endorphins - the neurotransmitters that help us cope and thrive. 

Then throw in fear, grief, the new demands of managing a melded home-work-school life, burnout among frontline workers, and it's easy to see how mental health needs to be on our radars more than ever.

The good news is, thanks to that amazing, adaptable brain I talked about earlier, it is possible to get free of anxiety and depression.

There are some amazing charities and individuals out there and some wonderful resources to help people get back on track. Here are just a few who it could be helpful to follow:

Mind

Samaritans

Tough Enough to Care

Liggy Webb You can also talk to your GP, or seek out therapy privately. I'm still offering free mini phone consultations for those who would like share a problem and the better outcome they are seeking, and I will help them understand what's going on in their brain and offer pointers on how to make things better. And remember, this will pass, and until it does, we are able to manage our minds and feelings for the better - with a bit of help.