Protect mental health of those in lockdown on own

You need to allow those who have been in lockdown on their own to meet and socialise with one or two people or groups (this can be pre-registered in a database). This can be done responsibly and needs to allow indoor socialising. You must allow those who are not living near friends or family to be able to travel responsibly to meet them.

These people going through this alone are a vulnerable group and need to be allowed to meet at least one or two others they know and trust to protect their mental health. They must not be ignored or punished over fear that helping them may be abused by less-rule-abiding other who have the support of going through this as part of a household.

Why the contribution is important

You need to respect the specific challenges that rule abiding people who are living on their own have been going through lockdown.

They haven’t had proper social interaction for 8 weeks and your initial plans are a hammer blow to the mental health of those who have been following the rules. Your plans seem to be tailored to families and are cruel to those who have been going through this alone.

Asking people to exercise on their own when they see couples and so called household groups (There are clearly many bending the rules) every time they go out, is not good for mental health.

by LonePigeon on May 05, 2020 at 03:46PM

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Average rating: 4.7
Based on: 71 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Lee May 05, 2020 at 16:00

    I've added similar. This is a must. The knock on effects of mental health issues far outweigh those from suspected covid deaths long term.

  • Posted by Pamela55 May 05, 2020 at 16:05

    I agree that people living alone ought to allowed to meet companions up to the number of an average family group, say 5 in total.

    I disagree however that a database should be required to define our contact group on any level, as this heads us down a road of buying into a society where everything we do has to be registered and "allowed". People deserve to be trusted with their freedom, and discover themselves how to self regulate contact, and it is a retrograde step to assume monitoring of our lives to this degree is in any beneficial.

  • Posted by mklayne May 05, 2020 at 16:11

    Completely agree - not living alone thank god but really feel for friends who are - I'd happily put off having access to more people socially if my friends living alone could expand their bubbles-of-one earlier.

  • Posted by Ossian May 05, 2020 at 16:19

    Agree - there is a reason why solitary confinement counts as torture! This should happen immediately, no database required. Obviously those at greater risk can choose not to take part. There doesn't really seem much point avoiding covid if we are just going to develop severe mental health issues.

  • Posted by davina May 05, 2020 at 16:28

    Agree with all of the above comments. Living alone and working at home, getting groceries delivered, means that we are very low risk. Please allow us to see other people who we trust to be doing the same. This is having a detrimental impact on mental health.

  • Posted by wilsm24 May 05, 2020 at 16:46

    Agree with all comments, been working from home for 7 weeks, no contact with anyone face to face apart from shopping once or twice a week maximum, struggling with all this now. I have many friends in the same situation, and it is affecting us all. We are all low risk now. I don't agree with database idea, the Government needs to trust the public to do the right thing, and an invasion of privacy.

  • Posted by Emz1964 May 05, 2020 at 16:51

    As someone managing a mental health condition and living on my own which is contrary to years of professional mental health advice to help me, it would help immensely if I could spend time around other people. Even a bubble of 3-5 people who have all been isolating would be a great help and carry no discernable risk. At this point I'm happy to go and stay with friends for a few weeks and that's preferable to ending up on a psychiatric ward

  • Posted by Mrswed May 05, 2020 at 17:03

    This is a must. The knock on effects of mental health issues far outweigh those from suspected covid deaths long term.

  • Posted by ljk84 May 05, 2020 at 17:04

    This should be one of the first things to come in in my opinion. Absolutely essential for mental wellbeing

  • Posted by ClemPab May 05, 2020 at 17:44

    Completely agree, the stay-at-home rules have been designed for people in couples or families or house shares, they are not suitable for people living alone, and are not tenable for many more weeks at all.

  • Posted by Chardie May 05, 2020 at 17:56

    Completely agree. This should have been a priority from the start of lockdown.

  • Posted by lnelily252 May 05, 2020 at 18:11

    Agree, disagree with a database but sounds like the new tracing app is a much better solution

  • Posted by Garywall8787 May 05, 2020 at 18:41

    I don’t agree with the database but agree with the rest.

    The current restrictions for people who live alone is inhumane and their needs to be changes.

  • Posted by Julie May 05, 2020 at 18:43

    It is much more difficult for someone stuck in on their own. They should be able to see at least one other family / social household.

  • Posted by REB May 05, 2020 at 19:18

    I would agree - so long as there is some agreement that the person / people I add to my 'bubble' add me to their 'bubble' so that the total number of people in contact with each other does not rocket

  • Posted by FionaCookAnderson May 05, 2020 at 19:47

    I agree fully people with Mental Health illness should be allowed to visit or have visits from friends and or family. Being isolated from your friends and family is not good for anyone.

  • Posted by Pragmatist May 05, 2020 at 19:49

    I agree. I am a professional working in healthcare and we are beginning to see a rise in referrals for COVID related distress. Much of that is due to enforced social isolation which make conditions such as depression and psychosis worse. I think there needs to be an improved benefit-risk assessment taking mental health into account.

  • Posted by Abigail May 05, 2020 at 19:51

    I broadly agree with almost all comments made. I live alone and it is tough.

    The 'exclusive bubble' idea would not work for many who live alone. I do not belong to a friendship collective where my close friends all know each other and would elect to be part of same bubble.

    I would like to be able to see a small number of other people.

    I would like to be able to travel 50miles by car to meet up with my daughter.

  • Posted by FL May 05, 2020 at 20:05

    Totally agree but fear that this is falling on deaf ears - all we hear are comments like ‘we realise how tough this is’ - empty comments but no actual measures to address this- the damage being done to us is immense by keeping us isolated like this away from human contact and I fear is already something we’ll be permanently scarred with. I’d rather take my chances with Covid and sign a waiver that I am happy to not be treated by the NHS if I get Covid and left to die since even if I only lived another week at least it would end the torture of what the Scottish Govt are putting us through right now by telling us there’ll be no change for 4 weeks to even give us more coping mechanisms such as being able to travel a few miles from home so we can exercise safely away from others and get a change of scene and experience some green space. We need pragmatic decisions - we are not possessions to be kept by our owners we are unique human beings and deserve the right to live our lives free from torture by others - that torture is now being imposed on us by those that are supposed to look after us who have stripped any control over our lives from us and have effectively kept us in small prisons for nearly 2 months now. What good is keeping us alive if life becomes unbearable living like this?

  • Posted by Rachel_T1502 May 05, 2020 at 22:58

    I agree face to face social contact is vital for people living alone. This could perhaps be with just 1 person or household as a matter of urgency and cannot wait another 4 weeks due to the mental health impacts it is causing. People living alone could perhaps be prioritised as a first step before allowing households of 2 or more to expand social contact. Also agree that the potential bubble proposal of a fixed group of 10 will not work for a large number of people practically and may end up with some people feeling more isolated or with no social contacts at all.

  • Posted by OldDeuteronomy May 06, 2020 at 03:37

    Let's not have to pre-register in a database or anywhere else for that matter. Let's get on with our lives, take a risk maybe, but remain the responsible adults we are and enjoy the freedom we should be afforded.

  • Posted by a May 06, 2020 at 13:40

    I do not want to be the "what about" person, but what about those of us that have mental health issues, and are mentally ill. The websites that have been setup are fine and I think it is good they are now there, but I see them for people that do not have a mental illness, because some of us will have already been through all that via Psychiatry, Psychology and other therapies, and they did not help much.

    I fear we have been forgotten about, until there is another round of austerity, then we become very popular.

  • Posted by Catslave May 06, 2020 at 18:59

    Agree completely. Also living alone and being isolated like this is actually dangerous for physical health. I am totally cut off and was left alone when I contracted what likely was a mild case of COVID19. I was prescribed antibiotics (in case it was just a bacterial infection) over the phone by NHS 111, but I had no one to collect the medication for me. I was then unable to get the medication sent to me as the pharmacy was overwhelmed with calls. I was also entirely unable to get groceries for over 2 weeks whilst isolated as I was not classed as vulnerable. Left alone with a dangerous infection, no way of getting food, and with pets to care for. If that's not vulnerable I don't know what is. I'm lucky to have gotten through it but others won't be.

  • Posted by markymalarky May 07, 2020 at 16:33

    would be beneficial for my health and wellbeing to get a responsible social distance meetup with a friend or 2.eg a group cycle or walk (in the hills nearby) , the social isolation of living alone is very challenging

  • Posted by GillHain May 07, 2020 at 22:39

    We were created as social beings and should not be prevented from being so

  • Posted by snels May 08, 2020 at 10:41

    I can tell you from experience they never did anything for those with serious historic mental health issues dating back decades prior to Covid 19 so although the sentiment is appropriate just how or why you'd expect them to do anything for people that have been in the house for 6 weeks by themselves leaves me at a loss.

    I've spent the past several weeks alone as well, haven't spoke to anyone to the point where my voice feels like its lowered. I have no family, have no one. The reality however as someone with long term mental health issues is that I went into it with issues and will come out of it with issues and its my norm not a 2 month test of comfort levels living with yourself. Pick up a paper every now and then, only weeks prior to this a 7 year old was stabbed in a park, that's mental health related. A national paper ran with waiting times of 6 months for minors to see mental health workers. This isn't a covid 19 issue, it's an issue with mental health provision generally and across the board. The websites are an insult and at least where I live you're expected to scream for help.

    As I said I appreciate the gesture but it's very apparent many of the people screeching for help with PTSD from spending a month in the house have little to no experience of long term mental issues or services available to them in the community. User "a" is correct in what they say, it's mostly brushed under the carpet under the deniability of (at risk) patient (who most likely doesn't have the energy or mood to function never mind fight for health care ) hasn't engaged with local services in the manner required to access their services...and of course many of them or should I say us are simply thrown in jail.

  • Posted by auberdjinn May 08, 2020 at 14:41

    Lockdown is having a real impact on mental health, and that in turn affects physical health. Mental illness can have deadly consequences.

    My neighbour was very recently hospitalised as a result of a mental health crisis. Of course, having been in hospital means she now has a much greater risk of being infected with Covid-19. I believe her deterioration was a direct result of lockdown. It's a double-edged sword.

  • Posted by Christina May 09, 2020 at 20:09

    100% agree. I'm 'lucky' that this didn't happen last year because then I would most likely have ended my own life. But how many are feeling like I was then right now?
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