Reflections on our current health crisis

[Curleee]

Hello there,

Just a comment..... but I've been asked so many times in the last few weeks , how I'm feeling about it all. I must also say that I am in no risky cohorts..... so maybe I have a luxury around that. But basically I wanted to talk about and see what others might be thinking, in terms of this whole thing. I, to be honest, have it at the very back of mind. Not that it's not important, but just that my Mental Health scenario always has to take precedence. (And in some ways, it would be nice to have the tiny luxury of focusing fully on this health crisis; rather than my mental health)….. so it would be good to see where are others are with all of this..... I am watching the wind (i.e. the virus) whoosh past me and watching it go by, but essentially, day-to-day, it is always about getting myself and keeping myself somewhere in the middle (emotionally)….. hmmm......

that's all from me, for now...… thanks for your thoughts

[smallwolf]

it is a bit of a yin and yang for me - in some ways the situation has reduced my negative thought because there is something else to focus on, though when I think about the impacts of this is having on some other people it just makes me wonder, I have putting out posts on the parish FB page and web site regarding changes to things which is happening daily so far.

I have found that reading about what is happening is easier that watching the TV. I think it might be related to the fact there is a broader range of topics to read, while the TV goes for the worst case scenarios. I could be wrong but the advertisements of the news or current affairs shows tell me otherwise.

thats it for the moment.

[Summer Rose]

Hello Curlee and Smallwolf

It's tough going in our house.

My 21-year-old daughter has OCD and it seems that all of her triggers have been pulled at once. She's not well at all but we are taking things one day at a time. She no longer looks at the news or social media. I keep her up-to-date on her civic responsibilities in relation the the virus and I love her, hold her and just sit with her. She is seeing her psychologist more frequently.

Feeling very sad because she has been travelling well for a number of years but I can now see it all turning pear-shaped and I feel helpless.

[Elizabeth CP]

I'm currently in isolation with my husband. Trying to focus on the positives We are on pensions and own our home so not impacted financially. Have some food in stock so coping without going to shops. Have son living nearby who rings to check if we need anything. To pass things between each other things are left on the front deck & he rings the bell & then goes back down the steps & down the path so I can speak to him from the front door with several meters of distance between us.

Negatives are concern re husband's health. Visit to specialist has to be done by skype & plans for seeing surgeon to assess if surgery could help is likely to be very delayed, Because one of the complications of his condition leads to coughing he can't be seen by his GP as coughing is assumed to be due to this virus. Going to hospital they just check for the virus. Test have come back negative but that doesn't allow us to access the help e need for his condition.

I can't see my psych in person. Unsure if able to see him online. Still waiting to find out. Plans put in place to help me cope better (I have been struggling due to PTSD & multiple stressors) have been shelved because of the restrictions due to the virus.

I would like to see organisations like Beyond Blue to take the initiative & provide advice to governments etc re strategies to manage people's mental health at this time. Many of the things which keep people emotionally well have been removed at a time when people are very vulnerable. I know the measures to reduce the spread of the virus are needed but some thought needs to be put into creative ways to help us as a society stay mentally well. What do others think.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Elizabeth

Firsty, I am sorry to hear about your current experience and about your husband's ill health. We are in the midst of such a challenging time from so many different perspectives. My thoughts are with you both.

I would like to see bb take more initiative with public mental health messaging at this time. I thought the same during the bushfire crisis.

However, I don't know if bb are issuing media releases that just aren't getting picked up. On the other hand, I'm astounded that the Chair's public message on the website has not been updated in months.

It's entirely possible that bb is currently advising government on how to manage people's mental health but that this is happening behind closed doors. It would be nice to know if this is happening. It would be a comfort in this dark time.

Kind thoughts to you

[Chris123]

I am so stressed out about this whole situation. I wasn't worried at all at the beginning, thinking it won't come to Australia, I trusted the government. Now cases keep increasing, I am terribly worried about our son. He is healthy, he loves school. The high school next door to his school had 2 confirmed cases, then our neighborhood got more confirmed cases. When I go for our weekly shopping, I see empty shelves. I didn't buy much extra foods because our house is so small, I have no place to keep extra foods. I keep extra packet of toilet paper in our car because we have nowhere to store it in our house, so I couldn't hoard anything like some people. There are just so much going on. My husband just started work and he's in probation period, his work is now going through difficult time and the top manager guy talked about reducing people, and I am totally scared that could happen to him any day. My work changed everything online, so now I am working from home, and our son is attending school, but I am terribly scared sending him to school. I know enough to be scared of this disease, I am terrified of is unknown side effect... I don't care if I catch it or my husband catches it because we are all adults, we had enough of good fun part of this life, but for our son, I feel so sorry we are living in Australia and how we chose our leader of this country. I really hope someone can answer questions I have regarding the potential side effect... what could be the worst of this disease... I know most children gets it mildly and don't die, but is there going to be longer term effect? If I keep sending him to school and he got it, how badly I would feel... I am working from home and the only reason I send him to school is because I don't know what to do with him if I keep him at home... I did keep him at home one day this week and he was terribly bored, so I sent him back to school... He loves learning and he likes to play with his friends... I really don't know what to do and I so wish I could send him to more expensive school because it seems more expensive schools moved to online mode already and they are closing the school from next week... How can I stop worrying about this??

[Curleee]

thanks everyone for your input. Great to hear everyone's comments. I like your words Smallwolf. I totally agree, re yin and yang. Today, even my viewpoint has changed. When I wrote my entry, I was in the middle of a spike and had not brain space for others; and as such, I had a priority of my mental health. But this health crisis is a moving target, in that the parameters keep moving, shifting and changing. And today my brain is (having come out of my spike) a little bit similar to smallwolf, in that it is a good means to get myself out of my head.

And also, one of my friends' brother died suddenly 3 days ago, and they had to rush the funeral (because of the virus, and possible decreased limits of people gathering together). Coming out my spike and this awful event has got me out of my head. So many people, going through such challenging times, with immense resilience.

Summer Rose, Chris and Elizabeth - I am extending my cyber-hand of friendship to you. I would be there in a flash if you were my neighbour....so am sending that same sentiment in a cyber-way instead.

And yes, I do agree about BB re them being leaders in this; they have been missing. I have never really understood their phone line service either. But I wonder if they are not wanting to duplicate something like lifeline...…

over and out

[Summer Rose]

Hi Chris

I can fully understand how worried you are about your son attending school. There are so many opinions swirling around on this issue that it is hard to make sense of it all.

To help me worry less and make good decisions I am following the advice of 2 voices only. The Chief Medical Officer and Dr Norman Swan from the ABC. I'd like to suggest that you decide who you will trust and then follow their advice.

That's all any of us can do. We are not experts. For what it's worth, my understanding is that the experts are united on the schools being open. It is also my understanding that the majority of private school closures are the result of positive virus results from members of their communities.

Stay strong. You are not alone

[Summer Rose]

Hi Curlee

Thank you for the thread and for your friendship. This crisis is hard on everybody in many different ways and it helps to know that people still care about each other.

I say this after being horrified watching people fight over toilet paper in supermarkets and flock to Bondi Beach oblivious to the public health risk. We have to stick together and help each other now or risk losing our humanity.

Kind thoughts to you

[Guest_0784]

Originally, My parents were more terrified about it because my Dad has heart problems and has 2 surgeries very soon. 1. Open Heart Surgery. 2. Stomach Bypass. And if he gets infected, he won't be able to get the surgery's.

I was surprised to not be scared about it, because only a week and a half ago. It was only about 50 cases in Australia, out of 25 million! That would be about a 1 in 20,000 chance of getting the virus!

But that has changed this pass week. Everything that I knew was closing, nobody wanted hugs, or handshakes, I have to stay away from everyone. This is just too weird for somebody on the Autism Spectrum. This is becoming really scary as all the news is Coronavirus. EVERYTHING! There is only 1 report that is not about the Coronavirus, the weather.... And that is already starting to be taken over by the coronavirus!

And all I want to do is to carry on with life, even if we have to all put on suits, masks, boots, goggles, and gloves. I don't want everybody shutting their door on my face! I don't want people going and saying, "WE NEED TOLIET PAPER! STAY INSIDE, CLOSE THE BLINDS, STAY IN THE DARK, AND CUDDLE UP INSIDE FOR 14 DAYS! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING! THE PM SAYS, STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!"

Because I can't do anything, it really terrifies me, and makes me want to just stop existing, sleep until God decides that the second coming needs to happen because the world gets scarier every single hour for the past 5 years!

I just want everybody to just keep going on with their normal lives, stop scaring us! There is only 1,000 out of 25 million! Please keep things open so we don't break down everyday because I can only do nothing! If you want be doing stuff online, talk to my parents. They can explain to you why I can't do stuff online without my parents screaming for their lives of "getting bullied online". If everybody is terrified about it (which is sounding like to be extremly true.] Please stop scaring us, and put on a suit, mask, boots, gloves, and goggles!

JUST PLEASE STOP SCARING ME PLANET EARTH!