The other pandemic
Tags: Pandemic, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health

Obtained from healthyplace.com

In September, I wrote about World Mental Health Day and how difficult this year has been. As we get into the holiday season, it is a natural time where everyone looks back on the year that has just passed. I think, due to Covid-19, it’s fair to say this year has been beyond awful. The “new normal” is one that has taken a lot of getting used to for a lot of people and I, for one, haven’t got used to it at all.

My normal weekend activities of visiting friends/family, going to the pub to watch sports and playing indoor sports have all pretty much stopped. These are activities that I thoroughly enjoy and are some of the reasons I go to work every day. I go to work to earn money to enjoy the other parts of my life. I don’t want to go all Hard-Fi and say that I “live for the weekend” but I look forward to them.

I speak about my mental health ups and downs a lot and this year has been the most difficult of my life. Whether it was the struggles of being 27 (and now 28), the solitude that I’ve been living in or simply that I can’t do my normal activities, I have struggled to motivate myself for the next day. Getting up in the morning has never been so difficult and I don’t know if that’s going to change any time soon.

I have been extremely low and felt desperate at times this year, and despite some of the good news that I have had (certainly in my professional life), there has been an emptiness to this year. In some of my darkest times, I thought of seven words uttered by Chester Bennington in arguably the most famous Linkin Park song.

I took part in Movember this year and was able to raise a lot of money thanks to the generosity of those around me, whether it was friends, family or colleagues. I couldn’t be more appreciative of the donations but I don’t know how many people read what I wrote in my reasons for taking part this year.

This year has been one of the most difficult for a generation. Not only has there been a physical pandemic, with Covid-19 having an effect on every one of our lives, there is also a mental health pandemic which is stretching around the world. The rate of suicide, particularly among men, is far too high. In a time where men feel like they need to tough it out and struggle in silence while trying to be a rock for those around them, the most support is required. I have individually been touched by this where I have felt I suffered in silence while trying to be a model of stability for those around me.

I’m taking part in Movember this year to help raise awareness that too many men are dying too young and the Movember foundation are here to reduce the rate of male suicide down to 25% by 2030. Please donate and help them with this great cause.

To describe the mental health problems in the world as a pandemic only really hits the tip of the iceberg. I have focused on men in my Movember statement above but by no means is it gender-specific. It isn’t specific in the slightest. These issues can hit anyone you know and you can be asymptomatic — not dissimilar to Covid-19. You may seem like the model of calm and stability to others around you, or even yourself, but the mental toll of this year has hit everyone.

No matter whether you’ve been working at home full time by yourself or going into a changed workplace, this year has been difficult. No matter whether living with family, living with friends or living alone, this year has been difficult. No matter whether you are currently living in Tier 1, 2 or 3 in the UK or any other limitations set by governments around the world, this year has been difficult.

I’m not asking for any pity here, nor am I asking for anything much from you if you’re reading this but find the people you care most about in the world and just ask them if they’re doing okay. And ask a second time for good measure. If there’s anything you can do for them from a distance, do it. You’d ask them how they’re doing if they were suffering from Covid-19, so why not do the same here? Mental wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing, it can be the difference between someone being here in the morning and someone not.

If you are someone who is feeling the weight of their mental health deteriorating, please reach out. I know this can be the most difficult thing in the world to do, and you don’t want to feel like a burden but anyone that cares for you will never feel the stress or strain. If you feel like you can’t speak to anyone around you, a few places you can go to are:

Samaritans (call 116 123 in the UK or chat online)

The NHS (111 for your local mental health helpline)

Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the USA (1–800–273–8255)

There are many other options if you feel like none of these are suitable, and I am happy to help anyone at any time.

This holiday season, get everyone the cheapest present you can get them — just ask how they’re doing. We’re all fighting a pandemic together, except this one is something we can’t necessarily see.