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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

Guest_1643
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi all, thanks EM I was able to get to a food bank today...some staples in my possession ow. Another place I'd like to go after 9 is the laundromat....I just wanna do stuff but I do keep the rules strictly just venting how at times it hits hard

topsy_
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi everyone,

I’ve been reading along & agreeing with a lot of you. The pandemic sucks & so does lockdown. But I feel wary of the plan for after lockdown too. “Everyone” seems to be saying cases of COVID will skyrocket & it can still be fatal to fully vaccinated people. I don’t much worry for myself but my husband has those “serious pre-existing conditions” - diabetes & stage 4 kidney failure.

He has made plans to go to a major sporting event in the capital city early in the new year. Just this week our GP has said he thinks he shouldn’t go. Too dangerous. But he still seems intent on going.

I’m feeling fed up & hopeless. If COVID makes me a widow at least I’m old enough not to have to live a lot longer anyway.

Fantastic you managed to get your food sleep .

Yeah topsy , the map out of lockdowns isn't exactly encouraging l know. But l suppose it's what the rest of the world have been doing mths now and getting by and mostly open again sooo, hoping for the best myself , if they can we can. Speaking of, saw clips of the pm after landing in the US today, all the US officials were masked and distancing, but no, the PM of our country wasn't. Completely unmasked and talking into their faces from 1/2 a mtr away. God that man just keeps getting better doesn;t he eh, just WT ?.

Speaking of our trip down for the car yesterday , thank the Gods it wasn't today by the demo's that went on, we were gonna go today but changed our mind and went Monday instead. West gate was completely shut down, traffic banked back 20k. It would've been a total nightmare we'd probably still be driving home from now 10 o'clock at night.

Anyway , hang in there people , wish l had some feel good wisdom to spread around but sorry , all out.

rx

Guest_1055
Community Member

"Good Morning all you awesome and beautiful people."

( I was greeted this way this morning as I started to listen to a podcast.)

I felt so encouraged by it, so I am passing it all on to you.

Hi Shelll and everyone,

That's a lovely thing to share. Thank you.

I feel guilty posting here given that I'm a West Aussie and incredibly lucky compared to the rest of the country.

Was reading here about vaccinations and it hit a nerve I suppose. My psychiatrist has started 'encouraging' me to be vaccinated. Says I'm high risk as I take immune suppressing meds etc etc.

What annoys me is that a few weeks before he wasn't sure if he wanted to be vaccinated either and was understanding of my reluctance. Now he's being pushy and critical and I'm uncomfortable seeing him. Not great from a managing depression POV. Nothing anyone says is going to change my mind anyway.

Is anyone else finding that their docs care more about vaccination than whether you're struggling mentally?

quirkywords
Community Champion
Community Champion

Quercus,

It is good to read your post.
The messaging from the medical profession and politics is confusing as it changes weekly.

I know many people’s mental health is very fragile so ones psych should have a balance between understanding how ones mental health is affected by having a vaccination and the benefits of a vaccination.
I have a friend whose doctor was very understanding about her anxiety of having a jab.

mmMekitty
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Hello all,

Not knowing from fortnight to fortnight, or for some, week to week, or day by day is what I find so difficult. I get my hopes up, look at Qld's .gov website to see if whether some restrictions might be changing again, or if they are not. Especially, if to see if I can go into public buildings, without a mask, and not feel like I am some sort of space invader, or that I may be perceived as one of the selfish people, who simply refuse to wear a mask, as a statement of their 'right to choose'.

My PDr encouraged me to get my info from reliable sources. He takes his duty of care seriously, as does his colleague, and so made decisions about how the practice would be run. I agreed entirely with his reasons for, first, requiring hand washing. I had become mindful about how many surfaces I touched when out and about. Then he would be doing telehealth sessions instead of having patients coming and going to his rooms. They have groups as well. Too many people.

I was uncomfortable about zoom and Face Time, but I would try by phone calls, which I make at the usual time. Then, when masks became a recommendation, he invited patients back, provided everyone, including himself and his colleague would wear masks. That's when I tried to and had a (for me) a severe panic response, and 'flashbacks', I guess.

By phone is not ideal for either of us. There are pros and cons to it, so either way it is both better and worse.

I begin to wonder just how uncommon it may be for therapists to divulge their personal views to their patients? Is my PDr so unusual in that he tells me nothing about his personal life, and not his opinions about what the government does in relation to COVID-19.

As knowledge about COVID-19 increased, and we were seeing how devastating it was becoming for individuals, families, and society, I wanted to get my first dose as soon as I could determine I would qualify for one.

Initially, because COVID-19 was new, and information was scarce, and they were learning, and so, making decisions on the hop. New info comes in and changes have to be made to accommodate that.

It's hard to keep up. It is particularly hard to decide for whole cities, states and country - lots of individual people being effected by those decisions, and know you could not get it 'right'. We have a choice of hard options to choose from. We have limited people and financial and medical resources to carry us through.

Me, coping? I'm not sure anymore.

mmMekitty

l can understand it even living in QLD , one of the easiest states throigh all this apart from borders l suppose.

Where l am in Vic life has been pretty close to normal through all of it apart from the last mth. But after 18mths of it , all over the world , all over our country , the surrealism of everything happening , it's still getting to us even up where l am these days. Your heart breaks too for those in the cities and states caught yet again now , anxieties of the future, our kids waiting 2yrs to do courses lives on hold at that age, business, people separated, people alone, borders , us all being told yet again and again how to live and what to do, all of it.

l think we'd have to be living under a rock no matter where, to not be being effected at this stage.

rx

Sleepy, I want to apologise for my clumsy post which clearly came across the wrong way. I can understand that people like you need to go for a walk when they can't sleep or are anxious. If people didn't break the rules and have illegal gatherings then there would be no need for curfews. Going for a walk at night on your own is certainly not going to transmit the virus.

I am feeling very upset and frustrated at the moment when people deliberately flout the law, attend illegal protests and riots putting the rest of us----the vast majority who are doing the right thing at risk. Everyone is suffering with the lockdown and none of deserve to have the situation made worse by selfish decisions of a few. Especially the people on this forum suffering for no fault of theit own

Calbue
Community Member

Hello all,

I just wanted to come and ask if anyone else feels the same was as me.

Since the pandemic has started, I feel like my life has been on hold. That we're stuck in limbo and have no idea when we'll get out of limbo. I guess that's been the source of my anxiety right now. I feel like everything that I do is useless because I don't know when I'll get out of this limbo. My uni education right now.. feels useless. Doing anything productive feels useless... I just don't have the motivation to do anything until this pandemic is over and life goes back to normal.

Does anyone else feel this way? I'm not sure how to accept that COVID may very well be in our lives for the long run.