Since the Coronavirus pandemic set in all over the world it has been throwing our normal lives upside down. No-one really knows the right or wrong way to get through this, but that’s because there isn’t one. All of us are affected by this nightmare in different ways and everyone has unique thoughts and feelings on the subject. Some of these thoughts and feelings are positive and some are negative.

Many people’s initial feelings on the pandemic were very negative. This is because, as human beings, we depend on having others around us and the warmth of contact from our family and friends. The first major lockdown ripped some close families apart and caused many to feel terrified. Everything was rapidly changing, and people felt isolated. The most isolated were the individuals that were at high risk. The pandemic caused some of these people to fear for their lives and many others had negative thoughts of losing someone close to them. The latest lockdown, that began at the start of November, was a second blow as we’d all hoped that the worst was over.

However, not everyone was completely at war with being dragged away from the normal hustle and bustle of daily life. Although staying indoors was excruciatingly boring at times, it also had some positive aspects. Some people can get extremely stressed and overwhelmed with the business of life – me included. During the first lockdown, that began in March, I found many opportunities to sit back and reflect on the many challenges I had faced in the previous months, and I took time to work on myself and my mental health. I suspect that many people with busy work lives may have been grateful to do their job from the comfort of their home and have a little more of a break.

No matter what your opinion may be on the pandemic you should always know that you are not alone, even though you may feel like you are right now. If you are struggling, the Samaritans are always on hand to help you talk about your thoughts and feelings.
Their contact number is: 116 123.