None of us have been prepared for the pandemic that we have faced this year and the way it would affect our mental health. The isolation and loneliness that many have faced especially in the elderly population has been very damaging to people’s health. As humans, we are naturally social beings, and this enforced separation and distancing from our families and friends has had a huge impact.
Many of us have also had to balance more in our lives as we’ve had to turn our homes into a home office space and juggle childcare with our workload. As well as wearing more hats as we’ve had to try to be a teacher, parent and entertainer for our children 24/7. And all of these factors will have impacted our stress levels.
Job security and anxiety about the illness and preventive measures to protect your loved ones can also add a lot of pressure and increase anxiety levels. And of course, those already suffering from mental health problems, it will have probably exacerbated their condition.
One of the longer-term effects of this pandemic will be the mental health impacts and the extent of this is probably going to be unknown as many people won’t recognise or admit that their mental health has suffered.
What to look for
The signs for mental health issues are not always the easiest to spot, but these are some of the things to watch for:
- Emotions – mood swings or being very low
- Excessive worrying or guilt
- Confusion or issues concentrating
- Fatigue or issues sleeping
- Being withdrawn
- Not being able to cope with problems
- Being unable to relate to people
- Detachment from reality such as paranoia, delusions and hallucinations
- Aggression
- Misuse of alcohol or drugs
- Eating habit changes
- Self-harming
- Suicidal thoughts
Seeking help
If you or someone else is suffering from mental health issues, you or they should seek support from a GP and try to talk to a trusted person about what is affecting them as talking can be a great medicine in itself.
There are also many groups and organisations that can provide information and support which are available on the NHS website.
Mental and physical health are linked and trying to ensure you get enough exercise and sleep as well as a good balanced diet can also help.
How we can help
We offer a variety of health and safety courses and this range includes First Aid for Mental Health courses, these are:
- FAA Level 1 Award in Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health
- FAA Level 2 Award in Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health
- FAA Level 3 Award in Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health
These courses are designed to help organisations to address and identify mental health issues in the workplace and to create a positive mental health culture as well as how to support your staff. If you are interested in these courses get in touch with us to find out more.