Depressed due to isolation and civil liberty restrictions

[Tangney]

Does anyone feel their depression worsening because they are not afraid of the virus and don't agree with the lock down? I can't stand the isolation and hate the restrictions on my freedoms. I was isolated before this started and now it's worse. I feel that the isolation will actually kill me if it goes on for much longer and I am spiralling downwards. This is made worse by the fact that the reasons for the lock down are no longer in existence. I know that on 1 June things will get better, but it seems like a lifetime away just now. Isolation is used as a form of torture in some countries and solitary confinement is a punishment. I feel that this is being imposed on me, even though I haven't committed any crime. Some people cope better than others with these sorts of conditions. You tube videos, baking cakes, and knowing that flowers will eventually bloom doesn't make any difference. It would be nice to know if there are others who feel the same way. If anyone else out there thinks the same, please post a response.

[lunastone]

Hi moon and golden,

yet another yr passing with the R u ok day. Hope everyone is OK. I know....I am not OK most of the time these days!

Just had a chat with a friend in WA. At this rate, i think we all would crack with the forever no hope in WA border re-opening. My friend was planning a road trip to visit family in Melbourne over xmas. It has been 2 years. I thought only those with family oversea like me would be most affected. It is madness to think about this is happening within australia given that our covid cases aren't as high as some countries that have state border control, especially our vaccination rate is gaining pace (sadly not WA). I think a lot of us who are vaxed (or don't want it), just want to move on. Stop calling us selfish. What more could we do? Covid is here to stay. My friend's family is vaxed. Her family is vaxed. They know the risk. Why prevent them from seeing each other? It is just heartless....... surprisingly, so many comments on social media seem to suggest that! If they are worried even with the vax, they could choose not to see their family. Stay at home. We are responsible for our own action. So pls stop dictating our life and have a bit compassion! I also find it a lousy excuse for keeping us locked in forever now that we have the vaccine. Booming economy blah blah blah. Thanks to iron ore...... Such a disgrace for having such a big surplus while our WA hospital can't even cope without covid and many sectors especially the universities suffered without govt support. They should have used that money to get the hospital ready, quarantine facilities....20 months. Nothing. Depressing.......In the meantime, my friends in the US are going about their life with caution.

And you know.....my friend also has that "guilt" that we commonly have. Why am i complaining when other ppl have it worse? I just don't know what to say as I have that guilt too........

[HamSolo01]

Hi all

Been a while since I was here

a few reflections on this ever lasting situation we find ourselves in

- Lockdowns are costly in so many ways. Financially, socially, emotionally and even physically. I miss going about my business in life. Stuck in the house has done my head in

- the virus will take much longer to completely disappear than what is suggested. The vaccine will help build up herd imunity. But its contingent on people taking the vaccine of course.

- the international community will sweep what caused the outbreak under the carpet due to politics and international relations between rival states. I doubt we will ever know in our life. Maybe in the future with more access to information.

- the spring back from when lockdowns end and we all go back to relative normality will require and adjustment. We need to be wise with the choices we make.

[Bananie1234]

Hi 👋

so the roadmap for Melbourne had been announced. Still at least another whole month before we are out of lockdown. But I don’t understand the restrictions. It doesn’t make sense….

it says by 5th November, which is when everything should be back to “normal” which is great but there’s still limits on gathering and that’s fine but they are limiting the number of gatherings on people who are fully vaccinated??? What’s the point of getting vaxxed if they are still limiting it? If we are all fully vaxxed, why does it matter how many of us are together? So we won’t pass to those that are not vaxxed? since they never really mentioned what happens to those who didn’t get vaccinated, I’m assuming those who are unvaxxed needs to stay at home forever? They may as well make the vaccine mandatory for the whole if australia.
We don’t need to treat those people who don’t wanna get vaxxed like prisoners nor do we need to try and protect them from the virus. They know the risks and it’s their choice if they want to take that risk? And since those who are unvaccinated will be the minority, us who are vaccinated shouldnt be worrying about being in the same room as someone who is unvaxxed right? I’m so confused… or is it to protect children as they won’t get vaxxed? So what happens to children who are not getting the vaccination?

I’m pro vaccine but I’m also pro choice. Not everyone who doesn’t want the vaccine is an anti-vaxx. Why can’t we be more understanding towards each other?

also how is this going to work? So i now have to prove that I’ve got the vaccine wherever i go just to be able to eat at a restaurant?

this isn’t learning to live with the virus.

[Guest_1643]

It weirder me out that the recent restrictions lifted included having real estate inspections and some updated about hairdressers soon

So weird what they prioritise

[ecomama]

Hey peeps

Yeah it's all very interesting and pretty concerning.

It's all really duplicitous, that's clear.

I saw a joke posted on another thread by a member here which is funny / not funny at the same time.
Sure I laughed and have shared this joke IRL but the undertones are serious, this seriousness hasn't been lost in sharing.

Same as this one one of my adult children shared with me last week...
'At this point I would feel safer if coronavirus held a press conference telling us how it's going to save us from the government.'

Before proceeding I'll always say that I wouldn't know what to do if I was making these decisions either but now I also say, it's not my job to know, it's theirs.

Our Govt is being controlling, like abusers who only want control.
They are gaslighting us, saying things are clear when they're being as clear as mud if you try to read govt websites and the rest...

Every time I'm on the phone with my American Fiance and a siren blasts loudly.... either he or I say, there goes another up to $22 000 for the govt! Who knows of course, it's an "in joke". This happens multiple times every time we speak.
What's the worst thing a person could do to another person already under severe financial pressure?
Add MUCH more financial pressure.

Sure people shouldn't be doing "the wrong thing" but from personal accounts being told to me, these interactions are abusive. People are already scared. This kind of abuse just makes things worse for everyone.
It's written in ONE section of a govt website who can travel and why, but other parts override these.

So then there's the other stuff, govt saying you need to do this and that to do this and that and yet the systems aren't able to cope, so when we attempt to DO "the right thing" and govt systems fail us, WE are under the spotlight. Scared.

Media overseas is describing our govt similar to one in WWII.
One we were fighting against.

Hope you can find some lovely things to do today. Hope you can find moments of peace and calm.

Love EMxxxx

[lunastone]

Hi, all,

@ham: Yes, it has been a while. Hope you are well. It is so draining, isn't it?

@benanie: yes, Vic's restrictions are still fairly conservative even at 70% vax rate by comparison to the rest of the world. My european friend has just gotten back from a holiday in Denmark few weeks ago. Believe it or not. She was telling me that Europe is probably the best place to be right now in the covid world. I couldn't agree more (or is it grass always looking greener on the other side?). Most of them are fairly relax with reasonable restrictions (no freedom day). From my understanding, they also have about 70% vax rate for the whole country. Mask only indoor. To dine in a restaurant, you do need to prove vaccination status (have a choice of testing if you want). If no vax, no problem, just need a rapid antigen testing or one could just sit outside. But their society is built on trust, which i find less so here in australia. Coincidentally, 7:30 brought up Denmark as a country for comparison too! I think the rest of the world with high vax rate has moved on to not focus on the case number anymore but the hospitalisation rate and spot control if necessary.

You know....kinda sad truth, my ex-colleagues said that the only way to get WA ppl having the reality check to move forward with the unvoidable, ie. living with covid, is to have an outbreak. We are the lowest vax rate in the country and there are plenty who don't want it. And the forever no plan to open up from our premier is just depressing. Well, it was 80--90% 12+ age vax rate, the last i heard. Unrealistic. Tell me that's any inspiring?! We are in the prison of our own state and we have family oversea and interstate friends to see. I think this triggers even more that one of my close family oversea was in hospital and more to come and i couldn't be there. Sigh.

[Moonstruck]

Hi lunastone....wondered if you'd "given up" like I have I guess. so its good to see you here. I wonder how Tangney is...

We in Qld have given up that our State at least will stop playing politics but that day will never come. With Zero cases...our Anna P just will not let go of the control strings...she will play this through to the end.

Imagine the poor business owners, shops, cafes, restaurants etc just on the Qld/NSW border...after being closed completely, then Anna allowed a "bubble" for this border city of Coolangatta/Tweed so the shops were so excited, getting things ready, ...school holidays remember?...so they could begin to welcome customers again....then bam!! A case found somewhere just over the border in northern NSW somewhere...I forget...and slam, shut, wham, close your cafe doors owners.....sorry...border closed again!!

I believe we are becoming a laughing stock for the rest of the world....with Anna locking the doors at the slightest whim to her precious state of Qld.....I've never seen anyone so power and control hungry...some names from history come readily to mind, but I won't go there.....I will be shouted down by the meek and the terrified.

[lunastone]

Wave Moonstruck. Yes, i wonder where our old pals Tangney and golden are too.

I didn't finish up typing my last post because my mind was scatter all over the place. I just want to vomit everytime i read comments on the abc perth FB page. It makes me wonder if people are really that selfish, stupid and delusion (i think they would call us that). My former colleagues seem to resonant so well with us the minority. They are all migrants and have seen what their families are going through with the new normal -- living with covid + some restrictions (fairly relax ones as compared to Vic or NSW's plan!). Covid 0 is just the curse for us to delay the inevitable. It is getting stricter every day. More and more control. The WA premier just announced that WA will shut Vic for good. It was devasting for my friend who hasn't seen her family for over 2 yrs and xmas plan is certainly off the table. I was totally shocked to hear your deputy premier said at the press conference today that QLD people don't want covid as xmas present. What about those who dont' have family locally? They dont' matter?

As i said, some of us are now wishing covid to come here so we can start moving forward. But then, we will be all locked up. I am vaxed and NOT scare of the virus but the lockdown. Strange, isn't it? I would like to see a new poll from WA and QLD. How many people are still wanting covid 0? If so, ask if the close border policy is sustainable and for how long! I asked the exact same question to one local. She was speechless. It did get her thinking.....especially there is only a hand wavy plan about re-opening at 80-90% vax rate 12+. Good luck with that! It would like WA ppl to prove me wrong. Also, they should release the figure of mental illness impact for those covid 0 states. I can guarantee you that it is not all sunshine either. I totally feel for the teenagers who now have to put their life on hold. The mental illness effect will be seen in yrs to come. A bit like the WWII, soldiers who came home without a soul.

[blondguy]

Hey Lunastone

well said on the WA premier closing Victoria off ....I think that Mark M wants Western Australia to be a separate country than a state of Oz

you mentioned 'I am vaxed and NOT scare of the virus but the lockdown'

you have mentioned before that you are not scared of the virus and fair enough as everyone has their own point of view...no worries at all!

Just for myself....I am scared of this 'Delta' strain as I have no desire to be on a ventilator in an ICU ward

I hope you have a good weekend 🙂

Paul

[Hanna3]

Paul yes indeed, for many people who are vulnerable such as a young woman I heard of who is studying to be a doctor but who has very brittle diabetes, the delta virus is very frightening.

For people like her, opening up will mean their life is even more perilous and difficult.

I think the states holding back opening up are trying to get as many people as possible fully vaccinated both to save them and to protect their hospitals.

Many people who have any kind of disability or health issue such as diabetes are going to find their lives are even more restricted - and their lives are already difficult.

It's worth remembering the impact of the virus on these people.