The Covid-19 pandemic has been an uncertain time for all of us and we’ve all experienced the effects differently. We’ve had to face a lot of change, with isolation rules, restrictions, lockdowns, shielding and working from home or home schooling, and this is bound to affect how we think and feel.
As we learn to live with Covid-19, the effects are still having an impact on our mental health and wellbeing. The easing of restrictions means we can spend time with people and do the things we enjoy again. However, this might have brought new challenges. You or a loved one might still be shielding or you might be struggling to adjust to the ‘new normal’.
The pandemic may have made you feel:
It’s important to recognise how far you’ve come, however big or small the steps you’ve taken. You have managed to get through an incredibly difficult period that has affected everyone around the world. This meant giving up so much to follow restrictions and keep each other safe. However you are feeling is valid and it’s important not to blame yourself when something completely out of your control affects your life.
We’ve all had to go through the pandemic, and so there will be many people out there who feel like you right now – you are not alone. With the right help and support, you can get through this – and we have information and advice that can really help.
If you find yourself feeling down during self-isolation, it can be very easy to slip into the mindset that you are alone, but this isn’t the case.
It’s natural to still worry and feel the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown. This might make you feel hopeless about the future and like life is out of your control. After experiencing so much disruption, it’s normal to feel this way and it’s important to remember that you are not alone.
If you feel this way, try taking some time to think about how far you’ve already come. Adapting to change and uncertainty is not easy, and you should feel proud of how you’ve got through all you’ve faced during the pandemic.
Whether you got through having to isolate, having coronavirus, home-schooling, or maintaining relationships and friendships, it shows your resilience and strength, and can give you hope for the future that you can get through it.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to go through these things on your own. If you’re feeling hopeless and down, speak to someone you trust about it. It’s likely they will have experienced the same feelings at some point, and knowing that you are not alone can give you hope for the future.
A few of our Activists and bloggers have shared how they’re dealing with feelings of hopelessness in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Instagram artwork by @youngmindsuk. Mountains and a yellow sun with text wrapped around that reads 'These Feelings Are Temporary And Won't Last Forever'.
You might find that reading the news makes you feel overwhelmed, whether it’s about Covid-19 or current events. It’s normal when something big is happening to want to check the news a lot, but with everything that’s going on, this can have a negative impact on our mental health. If you’re finding the news overwhelming, it might be time to limit your news intake.
Here are three tips that can really help:
Limit the time you spend checking the news and try to follow social media accounts that keep you positive and make you smile. Accounts like @the_happy_broadcast on Instagram only post good news stories.
We have loads of tips on cleaning up your social media feed for a more positive time online - take a look at #OwnYourFeed.
It is completely normal during times of uncertainty to feel a bit more anxious than usual, and the Covid-19 pandemic brought great uncertainty. So, if you’re struggling with anxiety, you are not alone. We’re all in this together, and help is available if you need it.
After spending so much time at home during the pandemic, unable to socialise, go to school or see your friends in person, it is normal to feel some anxiety about being in social situations again. You might have mixed feelings about the easing of restrictions – that’s very normal. There’s no need to feel guilty if you’re not as excited as some other people are, or you don’t feel ready to go back to how things were. Remember that it's okay to take things at your own pace.
If you are feeling anxious about seeing people again, or being out in public, try taking small steps – for example, you could start by going on a short walk each day and slowly increase the time you are out for. Or if you are going to a social event or seeing someone, you could let them know in advance about how you are feeling. You could discuss with them some things that might make you feel safer or less anxious, such as meeting in a certain place, asking them not to hug you yet, or wearing a mask if they can.
It's normal to feel worried about the rules and regulations changing. But if you find you're worrying so much that it’s becoming hard to do other things, speak to a friend or trusted adult about how you're feeling. For tips on how to start that conversation, have a look at our reaching out for help page.
If you have been shielding during the pandemic, the easing of restrictions may feel especially scary. This is completely understandable and everyone’s situation is different, so it’s important you do what is right for you. You may want to talk to a GP if you have particular health concerns, and they can help you understand what you can do to keep safe.
It’s important to remind yourself that you have your own boundaries and, pandemic or no pandemic, nobody can dictate to you what you should or should not be doing.
Our blogger Gigi, 25, shares how she has been struggling with social anxiety since the easing of lockdown measures, as well as what has helped her cope.
It’s understandable if you are experiencing - or have experienced – anxiety about getting sick. When this starts to have a negative effect on your mental health, it is known as health anxiety .
If you are struggling with health anxiety, speak to someone you trust about how you’re feeling and see your doctor if you’re finding it hard to cope. Help is available, and you deserve to feel better.
Our blogger Hattie, 22, has shared her experience of developing health anxiety since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having the same distressing thoughts and urges again and again can be a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder. If these thoughts and urges revolve around germs or health, the Covid-19 pandemic may have been a particularly difficult time. If this sounds like you, we have tips and advice that can help.
Our Activist Charlie has shared their experience of coping with OCD during the coronavirus pandemic, including what has helped them.
Even just going out with my friends can be a challenge at the moment, but we have found that little and often is the best way to make progress and readjust to being in public.
Long Covid is when the signs and symptoms of coronavirus last for four weeks or longer. These symptoms can include:
These symptoms might affect your day-to-day life, such as being unable to do the things you enjoyed before being unwell. It might also affect your ability to work, study and go to school, or go about your daily routine.
Whether you or someone close to you is experiencing Long Covid, it’s normal to feel anxious about how long symptoms will last, and frustrated and worried about the future. Our physical health can impact our mental health, and it’s important to notice how you’re feeling. If Long Covid is affecting your mental health, you don’t have to go through it alone and there is help available.
Instagram post credit: @laurasnest.de
A watercolour image of a blue circle with text reading: "Small progress is still progress".
Your GP can help you find support and advice on how to manage your symptoms, such as counselling, medication and referral to a long Covid service . It can be difficult to explain the effects on your mental health, but we have some advice to help you speak to your doctor.
The first step to feeling better is telling someone you trust. This could be about how you’re feeling or what support you need while you or a loved one recover from Long Covid. No matter how small your worry might seem, it’s important to talk to someone about it. We have tips that can help you start that conversation.
Recovering from Long Covid can take time. It’s normal to feel frustrated, anxious and down when you want to get back to your way of living. However, pushing yourself to do too much can prolong recovery and it’s important to take it slow. This may feel easier said than done, but it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself to ‘get back to normal’.
Developing a daily routine can help you during times of uncertainty. It’s important to factor in sleep, activity and rest. The activity should be manageable and something that doesn’t make your symptoms worse. It’s important to listen to your body and rest when you need to. Whatever the activity, make sure it’s something you enjoy and look forward to.
Long Covid Kids is a UK-based, international charity for families, children and young people living with Long Covid.
They represent and support young people and the parents and caregivers that look after them. If you and your family are struggling with Long Covid, find out more about symptoms and support available on their website.
Whether it’s as part of a national lockdown, or you’re quarantining for another reason, self-isolating can be really difficult. It’s normal to feel anxious, down, frustrated – or even just bored. It can be helpful to remember that isolation is temporary, and it won’t be like this forever. Each day that passes you’re a day closer to being out of isolation!
Below are some things you can do to keep yourself occupied in lockdown or self-isolation.
For more tips for looking after your mental health while self-isolating visit our blog:
Read these tips from young people on coping with self-isolation and lockdown:
After so long studying from home, it’s only natural for school to feel a bit strange, even if you’ve been back for a while. Everyone adapts to things at a different pace – there is no “right” way to feel.
If you're worried about catching Covid-19, remember that everyone is doing their best to prevent that from happening, and your school wouldn't have been able to reopen if it wasn't safe.
You may have found it hard to readjust after studying from home for so long. You deserve to feel safe, so if you find school difficult for any reason, it’s important to speak to an adult you trust so that they can help.
Whatever you’re struggling with, visit our guide with advice and tips for coping with problems at school.
Post credit: Dr Caroline Leaf
"People tend to believe that grief shrinks over time. What really happens is that we grow around our grief."
Three jars of the same size sit in a row. Each jar contains a ball which gets smaller in size from left to right. The text underneath reads: "People tend to believe that grief shrinks over time."
Below that there are three more jars each with a ball inside. These jars get progressively bigger from left to right, but each of the balls is the same size. The text underneath reads: "What really happens is that we grow around our grief."
Dealing with loss is difficult and there is no right way to react when someone dies. If you have lost someone during the Covid-19 pandemic, it may feel particularly hard to cope with if you weren’t able to see them before they passed, or you weren’t able to attend a funeral or memorial service.
If this is the case, you might find it helpful to think of your own way you can mark their life, such as creating a memory box, writing down your thoughts and memories of them, or lighting a candle and having a time of silence.
For more tips and advice on dealing with grief and loss, visit our guide.
See below for a list of organisations and helpline services that have information to support you.
Free, short-term online counselling for young people aged 25 or under. Their website also provides lots of information and advice about mental health and wellbeing.
Email support is available via their online contact form.
They have a free 1-2-1 webchat service available during opening hours.
If you’re under 19 you can confidentially call, chat online or email about any problem big or small.
Sign up for a free Childline locker (real name or email address not needed) to use their free 1-2-1 counsellor chat and email support service.
Can provide a BSL interpreter if you are deaf or hearing-impaired.
Hosts online message boards where you can share your experiences, have fun and get support from other young people in similar situations.
Provides advice, and mental health and practical support to asylum seekers across the UK.
Webchat service available during opening hours.
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