Ask Jigsaw: Feelings during lockdown

Tuesday, 21 July 2020

I’m feeling very anxious at the moment and I’m finding myself very lonely without the company of my friends, I’m lacking the social interaction I had on a daily basis that distracted me from all my worries and negative thoughts, I can’t seem to find that same distraction that works as good for me at home, I’m just finding myself unmotivated to do anything and generally just very sad.

-Anniemac

Hi Anniemac,

What you describe is a completely understandable reaction to the Covid-19 restrictions. It makes sense that you are feeling anxious because your routine has entirely changed, and there is a lot of uncertainty around. In the same way, it’s understandable that you feel lonely without the company of friends and daily social interaction.

Sinéad

Jigsaw Clinician

It’s really important to acknowledge these challenging emotions without guilt or worry.

Managing your mental health during Covid-19

For a lot of us, our feelings are doing their job by telling us that we don’t like isolation. It’s difficult because we don’t have any control over when things will return to normal. All we know is that the restrictions will end. It’s really important to acknowledge these challenging emotions without guilt or worry – it’s ok to feel the way you do.

There are ways to manage your mental health during Covid-19. As you have mentioned, it is difficult to get the exact same distractions as you had before. It can be helpful to adjust our expectations and try new experiences with an open mind. Listen to self-care tips from a Jigsaw Clinician.

We have a lot more time to sit with our thoughts now, and this can often lead to ruminating on darker worries. It’s helpful to acknowledge these worries and to kindly remind ourselves that we are not our thoughts. Check out our recent webinar where Jigsaw Clinicians’ speak about managing worrying thoughts.

Creating a routine with a mix of fun, productive, and self-care activities that we enjoy can give us a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Not every day will run smoothly, and our routines might change depending on our mood. That’s okay and understandable considering the upheaval caused by the pandemic. Every day will have good moments and bad, it’s in the bad moments that it’s most important to be patient and kind with ourselves.

Take care,

Sinéad, Jigsaw Clinician