LOCKDOWN what it means for NI people struggling with mental health
Experts have warned that psychological wellbeing is likely to suffer as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Linda Stewart finds out how a student, a mum and a support worker are coping with the new normal
‘Meditation and Facetiming other volunteers takes me away from negative thoughts’
Naomi Quinn (44), from Swatragh, had a psychotic breakdown last year which led to her becoming an inpatient at Holywell hospital, where she now volunteers. She lives with her 13-year-old daughter Megan, and also has two sons, Declan (20) and Conor (22).
When my son was born I took postnatal depression — I was put on antidepressants and I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks. I‘ve suffered with that from forever,” she says.
Naomi was on antidepressants for many years but began to go downhill in the last few years with depression and isolating herself at home. But when she went to the GP about it, she was told she only had 10 minutes to talk.
“That was like a kick in the gut — it took a lot for me to go to the doctor and say what I had to,” she says.
Naomi was referred to mental health services but when she got home she Googled services and joined an online group run by mental health charity AWARE every Tuesday.
“I honestly believe to this day that that group and subsequent groups have saved me, because I was so isolated on my own at home with nobody to talk to. There are days you go on and you can have a good laugh with the other people on there, or you can spill your guts about how you are feeling.
“To have that outlet is brilliant,” she says.
Last year Naomi had a psychotic breakdown and was an inpatient at Holywell for four months.
But a doctor there recognised that antidepressants were not working for her and changed her medication.
Since coming home to her family in July, Naomi has been symptom-free and now volunteers at Holywell at the Oasis, a resource where patients can unwind and take part in activities. However, due to Covid-19, the Oasis has been closed, she says.
“My coping mechanism now would be Facetiming to see the other volunteers who are at home too. I play guitar and piano — music is another thing that takes me away from negative thinking. Meditation is good too — I don’t do it that often but when I do it definitely helps,” Naomi says.
“My brother Michael lives in Scotland so he wasn’t here when things were bad, but he’s always on the end of the phone.”
She goes to a clinic once a week for treatment for a snapped
Achilles tendon and does her shopping that day: “I don’t go out of the house unless absolutely necessary.”
But Naomi admits she has spells of sitting and staring into space during lockdown.
“Usually when I stare into space I think about, ‘What if it’s like this in September?’ I think about supplies into the country and shops, how they’re going to cope with it,” she says.
“It’s scary. If I sat for long enough I would get myself into a state about it, because nobody knows really. Not even the people in power know, they are just flying by the seat of their pants.”
Naomi says she was allocated a CPN (Community Practice Nurse) by mental health services but she hasn’t heard from anybody since lockdown.
“I understand that they have a lot of patients and maybe they’re trying to get around everybody by telephone and it’s taking time but I haven’t heard a peep from anybody,” she says.
She says she worries about the outcome if what happened to her last year happened now: “I know how the system works but for somebody that doesn’t know, I’d be afraid for them.
“The only thing that has been consistent is AWARE. They have the group on Tuesday and a mindfulness group on Wednesday. There are different things you can do online.”
Naomi says her daughter Megan has done really well through it all.
“I am just amazed at how well she has coped with it all,” she says.
AWARE is currently offering peer led online support groups, a telephone support line and email support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full information and useful resources can be found at aware-ni. org/covid-19-support