Coping with stress, low mood and isolation – a support thread

Cher_Alumni
Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
edited March 2021 in Mental health and wellbeing

What is this thread about?

We realise these are particularly difficult times for all who visit Scope’s online community.  The impact of covid-19 has been far reaching, not least emotionally, as we all cope and ‘muddle through’ each day the best we can.   

As a means of support, the Community Team have compiled a list of resources on this thread to help with any feelings of isolation, stress, and low mood you might be experiencing.  These are not intended to substitute professional help and we recommend contacting your GP if troubling feelings persist.  Equally, should you ever believe your welfare is in danger, make sure to call 999 and ask for the relevant emergency services.

This list is not exhaustive and will be added to regularly so please do keep checking back.  Also, if our lovely members have any other helpful links or ideas, feel free to drop them in the comments section below.  

As ever, if you want to talk about your individual situation - we are here to listen.  Don't be afraid to make a post and ask for help.

General coronavirus support

Mental health

Apps

Exercise

Socialising/loneliness

Education/learning, work, and volunteering

Money

Parenting

Specific impairments

Emergency help


Stay safe everyone and remember we are here to support you though this  <3
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Comments

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,987 Championing
    Nice thread idea. I haven’t posted this before because I thought it would attract negative comments / opinions but I think this is hopefully the place where I can do it without judgement

    I am really struggling with not being able to go out for a drive and also struggling to understand why I’m not allowed to do so.

    I have obsessive thoughts which get really bad when I’m stuck in the house - I need to get out the house every day. Luckily we have a dog so I have an “excuse” to go for a walk each day but this often isn’t enough and going for a drive really helps my mental health.

    All I want to do is get in the car, go for a drive without getting out, and come home again.

    - No one will be in the car except people from my household
    - My car is on my drive so I don’t mix with anyone on the way to the car
    - I won’t get out of the car at any point so won’t mix with anyone

    I don’t see how doing this will spread Covid to lots of people but I am following the rules anyway!
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    @66Mustang Thank you for opening up and telling us how you are feeling.  There's absolutely no judgement and I completely 'get' how you feel.  I know from our interactions on the community and seeing your posts, how important motoring is to you, and it must feel like a loss that you are slowly adjusting to.

    It's great that you have your dog to take for walks and I'd recommend keeping that up.  As for the obsessive thoughts, does listening to a podcast or watching tv/films interrupt and distract you from these?  Does anything tend to block them out?  I know I personally enjoy running as a way of switching off, but am lucky in that i) I don't have any mobility impairments and ii) I actually enjoy it  :D - Could a new hobby or exercise routine work for you, I wonder, in the interim?  
  • Wini1960
    Wini1960 Online Community Member Posts: 125 Empowering
    66Mustang@ Hi i know exactly how you feel. I like to knit so ive turned iit nto a business. Maybe if you can find something that you are passionate about that could take the place of the motoring for the interim, might help. This is something that is beyond our control but everything is subject to change. We will get through this. I wish you the best going forward in 2021.?
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,987 Championing
    @Cher_Scope @Wini1960 @woodbine many thanks for the supportive posts, I really appreciate it and they mean a lot to me.

    Cher_scope - Thanks for the tips. I’ve found those things to help a little bit to drown out the thoughts. As for the exercise, I actually want to do some form of exercise that is more vigorous than walking and like you I’m lucky not to have any mobility impairments, but this is not something I am able to do right now due to my psychological issues. I am working towards it though with mental health professionals. I know we are getting back to driving again haha but I have aspirations in future to get a Land Rover and a mountain bike and take the bike to places for a bike ride :)

    Wini1960 - that’s great you have turned your hobby into a business. I hope you are doing well and wish you the best of luck with it going forward!

    Woodbine - many thanks for the kind words. Hopefully things will return to normal soon or even partly normal. I realise I could be in a worse position so I am grateful for that, was just having a bit of a moan haha!
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    @66Mustang It's good to hear you are working towards your goal with the help of mental health practitioners   :)   I hope things go okay.  How are you feeling today?  
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,987 Championing
    @Cher_Scope I’m feeling not too bad today, thanks for asking :) I have a new support worker working with me and he seems to be really eager to help, not just to tick boxes if that makes sense, and he’s already suggested some really helpful stuff. 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Thanks for sharing and putting all the info in one place .

    Coming in here helps keep me occupied lockdown isn’t too bad for me as I only go out for shopping anyway though we did used to go to cinema or out to eat .

    It’s also a bonus as my son is home though home schooling can be a challenge 

    @66Mustang sorry you are finding it hard not driving I know it’s no substitute but do you play any driving games on a console . Or could you volunteer in the community to maybe shop and deliver to others 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,987 Championing
    edited January 2021
    @janer1967

    I agree with you about the forum being a good time occupier and good to combat loneliness as well

    Thank you for the suggestion, I hadn’t thought of driving games actually! I don’t have a console but will have a look for some driving games on the iPad to see if they are any good :)

    We currently do help a few neighbours with their shopping but we tend to do it at the same time as our own shopping to keep the risks down if that makes sense 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,672 Championing
    Another perhaps odd thought I had @66Mustang - would you like to try going for a 'slow' drive with Google maps? You might look at some of your favourite roads, or explore somewhere new, which you might visit later when able to go for a drive again.....something to look forward to, perhaps. :)
    Hi @Cher_Scope - some of the links above don't work; I don't know if you knew.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,672 Championing
    Just to add that I also find this a great resource, &, as mentioned above, so helpful to have all the info in one place. However, personally I think it's a bit of a wasted opportunity to just have this in the 'Mental Health issues' group, as there are links to other disorders such as CP, & I feel it would benefit a lot of people who are feeling isolated at the moment who may not have mental health problems. What do others think? :)
    Btw @Cher_Scope @Ross_Scope or @Tori_Scope the 3 links mentioned above still don't work. Please would you help, thank you.
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,987 Championing
    chiarieds said:
    Another perhaps odd thought I had @66Mustang - would you like to try going for a 'slow' drive with Google maps? You might look at some of your favourite roads, or explore somewhere new, which you might visit later when able to go for a drive again.....something to look forward to, perhaps. :) 
    That’s a really fun idea actually, I might give it a go, thank you :)
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,451 Championing
    edited January 2021
    I'll have a look at the links now, thanks for making us aware @chiarieds! 

    Edit: those three links should now be working. Please give us a shout if you encounter a broken link again, all. I've also now announced the post in recent discussions too, so that more people will see it. 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,672 Championing
    I'd been looking on Google maps, & thought of you @66Mustang
    I used it when people asked us to go to their homes to view books they had for sale.....sometimes at the back of beyond, & I used to get sidetracked looking down the country lanes! :)
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,672 Championing
    Thank you @Tori_Scope - links working fine, & I hope more people will now see this thread as it's really good. :)
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,451 Championing
    Thanks @chiarieds! I'd put the links into a word document so it's possible they didn't copy across properly for some reason. 

    Hopefully more people will see it :) Please also feel free to post your breathing exercise, and any of the other exercises you comment. I did have a quick look for it but ran out of time on Friday!
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,672 Championing
    Will do, @Tori_Scope - but please only use if you think OK, & @leeCal has good resources too.  :)
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    @chiarieds Thanks for your pointers!  Making the post more visible will help us reach more people so I agree  <3
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    @Tori_Scope the coronavirus link does that only cover England ?? 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,451 Championing
    Which one @lisathomas50? 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    @Tori_Scope the coronavirus one 

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