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

What is this thread about?
We realise theseare particularly difficult times for all who visit Scope’s onlinecommunity. The impact of covid-19 hasbeen far reaching, not least emotionally, as we all cope and ‘muddle through’ eachday the best we can.
As a means ofsupport, the Community Team have compiled a list of resources on this thread to help with any feelingsof isolation, stress, and low mood you might be experiencing. These are not intended to substitute professionalhelp and we recommend contacting your GP if troubling feelings persist. Equally, should you ever believe your welfareis in danger, make sure to call 999 and ask for the relevant emergency services.
This list is notexhaustive 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.
Generalcoronavirus support
- Scope’s Coronavirus website section provides practicalguidance around money, food, housing and more.
- The‘Having carers during coronavirus’ thread explains how to keep yourself,carers and personal assistants safe, and what to do in event of emergency.
Mentalhealth
- Scope’s ‘Mentalhealth and coronavirus webpage’ offers advice for both adults and childrenon how to cope with anxiety and isolation.
- Mind’s Coronavirusand wellbeing webpage gives tips for looking after your emotional health.
- This NHS Mentalwellbeing whilst staying at home webpage provides a list of things you can do rightnow to feel calmer.
- YoungMinds Coronavirus and mental health webpage has advice for younger adults.
- Rethink’s Coronavirusand mental health webpage helps those severely impacted by mental healthconditions and their carers.
- You can call the Samaritans on 116123 anytime for confidential support and they have a webpage about what do to 'if you are worried about your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic'.
- This Blurt webpage explainshow breathing and grounding exercises can ease anxiety and panic attacks.
- This online community thread looksat ‘What do you do to relax’.
- Plus, our ‘Wouldyou like to go to a spa?’ thread has suggestions on ways to relax too.
- This “Are youfeeling stressed?” post discusses the signs and symptoms of stress.
- The Positiveaffirmations thread contains mantras to practice and boost self-esteem.
Apps
- Headspace is an appfor meditation, anxiety, sleep etc.
- This NHS webpagehas a list of mental health apps.
Exercise
- The ‘Stay in Workout:Accessible ways to exercise’ thread includes links to routines you can do athome.
- The Active at hometimetable is a good way of keeping fit and exercising along to pre-recordedvideos.
- A diaphragmatic/abdominal breathing exercise suggested by @chiarieds. This helps with stress and pain.
- Gentle Tai Chi and yoga videos also suggested by @chiarieds.
- This 'How to meditate' guide from @leeCal can help you feel more at peace and relaxed.
Socialising/loneliness
- The ‘Willyou be lonely this Christmas’ thread contains fun activities to keep youoccupied beyond the festive period.
- @chiarieds ‘Activitiesfor the little grey cells & 'Free rice' which helps the World FoodProgramme’ thread has a list of online quizzes to get you busy thinking.
- Independent Age have a 'How to stay connected in old age' webpage with advice on how to connect with others.
- This 'Riddle me Ree' thread has a list of puzzles to do, including impairment-friendly accessible ones.
Education/learning,work, and volunteering
- This threadhas tips for how to keep your work life balance in check.
- While, this thread lists‘books and educational journals available for free’.
- For Have ago month we discussed available online learning courses.
- The ‘Are you looking for a new job or fancying a career change’ thread gives career advice to help with job hunting.
Money
- Make sureyou are getting all the benefits you are entitled to with Scope’s Benefitscalculator.
- Scope’s Supportwith council tax during coronavirus webpage gives information about hardshipfunds, council tax reductions and deferred payments.
- This#EndChildFoodPoverty map helps you find the nearest emergency food support closeto where you live.
- Visit this Moneysaving tips thread to see handy hints for cutting back spending.
Parenting
- Scope's Family services webpage links to our Navigate, Sleep-Right and Parents Connect information pages - services designed to support the parenting of disabled children.
- The top tipsfor a blissful bedtime thread has pointers on improving children’s night-timeroutines.
- This ways tokeep kids entertained during lockdown thread has lots of fun activity ideas.
- @KimLawtherAT's home-schooling website supports parents and care-givers educating children with additional needs.
Specificimpairments
- Read thisguest blog post that discusses ‘Being autistic in post lockdown world’.
- Read TheIndependent newspaper article on: ‘Autism and the loneliness of socialdistancing’.
- This ‘Managingpain during isolation’ thread has ideas on how to alleviate chronic aches and pains.
- Scope’s ‘Cerebralpalsy and coronavirus’ webpage gives advice specific to people with CP.
- If you are strugglingwith insomnia, read our ‘Searching for sleep’ thread as we share and comparewhat helps us sleep.
- Beyond Word's picture stories can help explain what is happening with coronavirus to people with learning difficulties.
Emergencyhelp
- The detailed‘What is domestic abuse and how does it affect disabled people’ thread outlineswhat abuse is, how to report it and where to access emergency support.
Stay safe everyone and remember we are here to support you though this
Comments
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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!2 -
@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- Could a new hobby or exercise routine work for you, I wonder, in the interim?
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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.?
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@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!1 -
@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?
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@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.
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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 others0 -
@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 sense1 -
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.2
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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.0
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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.2
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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.
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I'd been looking on Google maps, & thought of you @66MustangI 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!1
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Thank you @Tori_Scope - links working fine, & I hope more people will now see this thread as it's really good.0
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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 itPlease 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!
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1
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@chiarieds Thanks for your pointers! Making the post more visible will help us reach more people so I agree
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@Tori_Scope the coronavirus link does that only cover England ??0
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Which one @lisathomas50?0
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@Tori_Scope the coronavirus one0
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