This February marks one year of working with Tribe Charity; a community of young people committed to normalising the discussion around mental health in Ireland.
Month: February 2021
An alternative Valentine’s theme for February
Let’s face it, the best thing about Valentine’s day is discounted chocolates in shops in the days that follow. No matter what your relationship status, this year has been challenging.
A lot of people in relationships have found themselves separated by 5km travel restrictions. As for single people, dating has either been put on hold or moved video chat. We can all feel societal pressures to tick certain boxes; meet someone, get married, get a mortgage, have a child. These pressures can often be reinforced by parents whose lives would have followed these sequential events.
Many of us may be feeling the frustrations of having life on hold at the moment. But, remember there are no boxes that need to be ticked or timeframes for certain life events. Whatever our circumstances, we could do without the traditional Valentine’s messaging.
Ask Jigsaw: I’m having trouble communicating
Hello, I’m having trouble communicating and having general conversations with people I know and don’t. Mostly I think it’s the fact that I don’t have anything to share with people that they will find interesting and that makes me feel like I am a boring and plain person. Do you have any advice?
-Alex
Hi Alex,
Thank you for your question. A lot of us have experienced difficulties with communication, and the current Covid-19 restrictions don’t help matters! We’re not doing much so we have less news to share, and we’re also a bit out of practice when it comes to socialising.
Ask Jigsaw: I recently lost a family member
Hi jigsaw, I recently lost a family member over the Christmas. I’ve been struggling in lockdown as I have so much time to sit around idle. The only thing is, I cant seem to accept it. I can’t believe he’s really gone and I feel like at any moment I will see him walk through the door. I didn’t even cry at the funeral. I feel as though I have been on autopilot ever since. Is this normal? Please help
-Ella
Hi Ella,
I’m so sorry to hear that you lost a family member over the Christmas. That must have been so difficult, particularly during COVID with restrictions on funerals. I hear you about struggling with lockdown and having so much more time to think.