Mental health charities report rise in members

Mental health support organisations in Perth and Kinross say they have seen a rise in the number of people reaching out for help.

Linda Fisken, who runs Linda’s Ladies, has offered support to women.

She said: “I was flabbergasted with the response and I would say that the WhatsApp group has probably doubled in size since the post.

“I have sent messages to all of the ladies who have said they are struggling and invited them into the group to vent and/or share what’s troubling them and how they are managing to cope with the virus and everyday life.

“There are an awful lot of ladies who were struggling before the virus, so things are now a lot worse for them with having to be in isolation.”

Linda said one positive to emerge is the number of people supporting each other.

She said: “There’s a real sense of community with this coronavirus and people are genuinely reaching out to those who are vulnerable.”

Lighthouse for Perth, which helps people experiencing any kind of emotional distress, has also noticed an upsurge in demand.

Manager Sharon Thomas said: “There are definitely more people reaching out for help.

“Anxiety and feelings of being unable to control the situation are really beginning to increase among the community.”

She believes the pandemic will have longlasting effects.

She said: “I think part of the legacy of the current coronavirus pandemic will be a community with increased instances of people suffering from anxiety, depression, long-lasting sadness and a feeling of helplessness.

“If we do not put in the resources immediately then this has the potential to affect our community for a long time to come.”