Words of hope needed

During these difficult times, words of encouragement from leaders and experts are important factors when attempting to navigate the obvious difficulties associated with covid-19.

For those experiencing mental difficulties and anxieties, it’s even more important that they receive words of hope for the future.

However, the recent predictions from senior UK psychiatrists have done little or nothing to lift spirits or give hope dealing with mental troubles.

In fact, their predictions are more likely to have deflated anyone who’s been listening to them.

Dr Adrian James, the new President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, has continued painting a bleak picture that was started by his predecessor.

He has pointed to an "inevitable” rise in mental illness due to recent restrictions. Just like his predecessor’s pessimistic description of a “tsunami” of mental illness, both predictions have “multiple layers” of doom and gloom.

His outlook does nothing to give those in need a lift when they need it most.

His words are more likely to make those experiencing difficulties even more depressed, thus making more people into potential patients.

If more people were to express hope for the future and perhaps do something unconditionally to help their fellow man, there is the possibility that morale would go up, that personal productivity would increase, and where optimism would replace the psychiatric doom and gloom.