How living in lockdown has affected our mental health – and where to seek support

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke to a clinical psychologist about how lockdown has affected people

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, services in Sussex have seen a large rise in the number of people seeking support for mental health issues.

That is according to Jane Edmonds, a consultant clinical psychologist with the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which provides specialist mental health and learning disability services in Sussex and in Hampshire.

In response to the pandemic, the trust has expanded its telephone helpline, the Sussex Mental Healthline, to provide a 24/7 service, offering crisis mental health information and support – and the service has seen a ‘big demand’ so far.

Dr Edmonds said the lockdown was challenging everybody’s mental health to a certain extent, as people grappled with feelings of isolation, concerns about employment and of loved ones falling ill. “That’s quite normal,” she said. “We are all experiencing a sense of anxiety, fear, loss or being in a low mood, and for most of us these are transitory and won’t last for long.”

Such feelings could even be useful and act as ‘cues for action’, she said, adding: “If you’re feeling isolated, it might be a cue to make a phone call to a couple of friends.”

However, she continued; “For some people their experience of psychological difficulties is such that it begins to impact on their daily life. It’s that group that we are particularly concerned about and want to encourage to access the support they might need.”

Up to 50 per cent of the population were reluctant to access NHS support at the moment, Dr Edmonds said, whether through fear of burdening the service or fear of catching the virus.

Her message to the public is that the trust is taking ‘significant steps’ to ensure that their services are safe.

It is also increasing the use of telephone appointments, so that people do not have to come in to their facilities. “That’s working well,” she said.

The trust is currently highlighting certain groups of society which are more at risk of facing challenges to their mental health. This includes elderly people, who Dr Edmonds said were at ‘high risk of feeling isolated and vulnerable’.

She said it was important that older people reached out to their families and friends and made use of many of the community mutual aid groups which have sprung up in the community, as well as care organisations.

Another potentially highrisk group was unpaid carers, Dr Edmonds said.

“Carers may be having to juggle having to work along with caring responsibilities. They might be without the normal respite and support,” she said.

“We are hearing from a lot of carers that they are feeling very overwhelmed.”

She said it was important that they look after themselves, so that they could look after others.

Some carers were anxious about what would happen if they became ill and could no longer support the person they care for, and Dr Edmonds encouraged anyone in this position to talk to the trust and put a plan in place.

“It’s better to do something sooner rather than later, rather be part of a conversation that talks about prevention and planning, rather than be in a position of responding to a crisis,” she said.

People with existing mental health conditions may also be particularly struggling during the pandemic and noticing an increase in symptoms, and Dr Edmonds said she ‘really encouraged’ anyone who was struggling to seek help from the trust.

Meanwhile people with autism might find that the affect of the pandemic on their daily routine made them feel anxious.

People with learning disabilities may struggle to understand why the services or groups they attend were closed.

Dr Edmonds has this advice for anyone caring for people with learning disabilities during this time: “We are really recommending people are given clear explanations of what is happening and why.

“People supporting them can help establish really clear routines, with exercise and good nutrition.”

Since the easing of the lockdown measures were announced, some people’s mental health may have benefitted thanks to increased opportunities to spend time outside.

However, Dr Edmonds said: “Rather ironically, for some people there might be more anxiety as some of the restrictions are lifted.”

While to start with, during the first few weeks of lockdown, there were ‘very clear messages’ about what was permitted.

“As these messages are relaxed, there’s some anxiety for people about what their responses should be, what they should or should not be doing,” she said.

Looking ahead, Dr Edmonds said the effects of the pandemic were likely to be felt for a long time to come, particularly for those working on the front line.

And while some people might not feel their mental health had been affected, she said: “It may be that it’s later down the line that people start experiencing the psychological consequences of the pandemic.”

We are hearing from a lot of carers that they are feeling very overwhelmed

JANE EDMONDS Consultant clinical psychologist