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Coping during the Coronavirus outbreak

Sophie_M
Moderator
Moderator
We recognise that many of us here in the community are feeling scared, worried and overwhelmed about Coronavirus (COVID19). 

As a result, we created this thread to allow people to come together here during those difficult times and encouraged those wanting to share or seek support to do so here in this space. 
 
It was important with this thread that we maintained perspective and supported each other as best as we could, medical, scientific and public health experts around the world have and still are working hard to contain the virus and treat those affected. 
 
The Beyond Blue Support Service is available via phone 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via beyondblue.org.au/get-support for online chat. 
 
There are some other helpful discussions taking place here within our forum community that you may find helpful to read or participate in: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/hi-there-i-only-just-joined-and... 

This thread is now closed for further posting. Users are still able to read through and find support through already existing posts.  
3,208 Replies 3,208

Mariasharapovafan1
Community Member
I'm now missing all my usual routine activities because I'm now staying home. I'm now starting new projects to replace my routine activities face-to-face. It's not the same as when I had face-to-face contact with people. Anyway I found something new that I can do around the house and it is gardening. I was out at Bunnings today looking for indoor plant kits but most of the kits had sowing times of either late winter or spring. So instead when I went back home I got one of the strawberry plantations from my garden. So I'm now learning to water my plants regularly. It's great. Now when I start going from suburb to suburb it starts to become a ghost town. Almost all shops are empty and cafes will be open for only take away. I feel now able to get food without worrying about starvation. So far the world has become different with social distancing and no more overseas travel. It'll soon work out. Now I'm feeling bad for people who have lost their jobs and now all Centrelink Offices are queuing like trains. Also my trip on the Ghan has been cancelled which is disappointing since I was looking forward to it. Now there is nothing to do and life is far more monotonous than ever when it comes to being at home. Things will never be the same. I'm now very devastated but the only things I can do is home activities. Hopefully things will go back to normal in the near future. Tokyo Olympics is now moved to 2021.

Guest_1055
Community Member

I came across this today....

Dear Pandemic,

You’re back. But this time it’s different.

You came in 1918 as the Spanish Flu, infected one third of us and killed over 50 million of us. Then you vanished as fast as you came.

You returned in 1957 as the Asian Flu, and killed two million of us. Then you were gone.

You appeared again in 2009 as H1N1 - the Swine Flu. You infected a quarter of us and 200,000 of us died - less than the deaths each year from the common flu.

And here you are again today.

Each time we call you a Pandemic.
Each time we panic.
Each time you kill far less of us but we panic far more.

Because you are not a pandemic of death or even disease. You are a pandemic of fear.

In 2009 that fear showed up in our media, in our stock markets, and in our every day lives. And you’ve given us that same big fright today.

But you’ve been here enough times that this time it’s different.

This time we see you for who you really are:
A global ghost of our worries, anxieties and deepest fears.

And as with any ghost, you can only grow if we feed you.
And if we don’t, you disappear.

So this time,
instead of fear we choose freedom.
Instead of panic we chose peace.
Instead of loss we chose love.


With love XXX


#UnknownAuthor

Thankyou so much for explaining that Fred. Appreciate it

Hi Shelley
Always a bonus to have your support on the forums
This is a difficult time we are going through for sure Shell even with the rare bogan

I hope you have a great week too! 😀🎉🎉

Mr Woof !

Midean
Community Member

I live in a relatively small country town in NSW, and on Sunday had a bad panic attack that saw me needing to go to the ER.

Luckily i was only in the waiting room for about 30 minutes and was moved to a room by myself adjacent to the ER.

The problem i am having now is that the ER waiting room was half full of people coughing and sneezing and looking generally unwell as one would expect in an ER on any given day.

Now i cant stop cycling the thoughts in my head that surely one of them had the virus, and that i of course picked it up, even after being assured by the doctor i saw that i am low risk due to only being 40 years old and by practicing good hygiene and self isolation for the past 3 weeks, as well as there being no confirmed cases in my town.

I feel constantly hot, tired, and run down, all symptoms of my GAD and health anxiety in normal circumstances, but under these lock-down conditions, i'm convinced i have the virus and i am waiting for that dreaded 2 week window to pass before i will need to be on a ventilator.

I have tried to no avail to stop reading the news, and checking social media for updates on the situation, but that is almost as bad as inundating myself with the constant bad news. This is a nightmare of the likes i didn't know i was capable of experiencing, life with GAD and health anxiety was hard enough without the invisible threat of a potentially fatal illness in the air.

I don't know what else to do as i have tried everything to stay calm. From meditation, to exercise, and everything in between, and now that is compounded by a fear that i cant even go to hospital if i need to due to the demand on the system because of this virus.

I am slowly but surely losing my grip on this thing and i don't know how long i can fight it.

letschat62
Community Member

hello every

i am straggoling a bit with my anxiety lost my husband with sudden deth home 8 weeks ago and did develope anxiety and now with the virus even more miss to conect with my kids and grand kids

oh my goodness. It is an adventure, Shell, what a weird life. I like that suggestion. And I have heard bidets come up on the radio and tv .... i'm kind of laughing to myself that this situation has brought back the bidet!!! People love them!

Today my GP called me and it was rushed and I was in my pjamas so declined a video call. He told me I really can't go out and need to take this seriously, but insisted I go for walks. I have to stop going to the shops, which I was doing daily, just because I felt lonely. So now I'm lonely, but I have this space 🙂

Letschat62, welcome to fhis thread and thanks for making your first post.

I am sorry that for the loss of your husband. I can understand your anxiety at this time.

Can you phone or text or skype your children and grandchildren or even write them a letter.

Feel free to write here as much as you want. There is support here and you are not alone,

Midean, I am sorry your thought are cycling and that you are so worried after your visit to the hospital.

Can you ring your doctor and explain how you are feeling.

Is it possible to write down in a journal how you are feeling.?

So sorry about your house business and gd quirk , and now all this. l hope your setup in something at least comfortable to ride things out and can rebuild when possible and things get back together in time . Day ata time l guess for now eh.

All the best. rx

Hello letschat,

I am sorry about your husband passing away. I am not sure what else to say. But I am sorry you are hurting.

Shell xx