Lockdown three, mental health and back to normality?! This post is my personal rundown and hopefully the start of a chat between friends.
Since Boris announced the plan out of lockdown and back to normality there has been a hum of excitement amongst pretty much everyone across the country. We all definitely needed a bit of hope and an idea to work towards. However if you are ,like me, feeling a little overwhelmed and scared of the idea of everywhere reopening I wanted you to know that you are not alone! Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see my friends, eat out, get back to the gym and go out for drinks again... but there seems to be an overshadowing of fear that it will hit the restart button all over again.
In lockdown one, which feels a million years ago, there was so many memes about us getting to lockdown 68 and honestly doesn't it feel like we are already there sometimes 😂 ? I personally have struggled so much more this lockdown then In the two previous. Wether that be due to uni stress or just the mundane repetitiveness of being a year on into the pandemic I'm not sure. After speaking to friends I realised I am not the only one who is a little nervous or sceptical about the dates the government has set. After practically being shut up inside for a whole year, with little glimpses of freedom between isolating the thought of plunging back into a busy social life seems almost like an alternative universe 😩. Do I even remember how to socialise?
While part of me hopes that it is just my anxiety, and that everyone else can be just hopeful and excited for freedom, I am certain I am not alone in my feelings and I want anyone out there to know that I am always available to message. Not only to my friends, but people new to the blog too! reach out through insta Dm or email and I promise I would love to chat and help in any way I can. I know that I was scared to mention it too my friends in fear of raining on their hope and happiness but I am so glad I spoke about it now.
I also wanted to use this post to remind people another thing, about mental health. Its something that I've very recently had to tell myself, and that is: THERE IS NO LIMIT ON HOW MANY TIMES YOU CAN REACH OUT FOR HELP. As someone who went through depression and anxiety at a young age, I saw a therapist through a few years in high school. I had managed therefore, to get into my head that because of this I now as an adult had all the tools to look after myself and handle my shit. And sis let me tell you that is not the case! Just because you have had help in the past doesn't mean you won't need it again! Recovery doesn't always come without its slip ups, and everyone needs reminders and refreshers, mental health is no different! So for anyone that may need to hear it, reach out, get help! Get in touch with your student welfare, talk to your friends or colleagues, message your tutors, just do what you need to do to help YOU.
"There is no limit on how many times you can ask for help."
So, check on your friends, ask twice. Check in on yourself, always. Don't be afraid to admit you are struggling, its not weak, its self care and its a BOSS move! I'm not a big self promoter as I'm not great at tooting my own horn, but if there was ever a Blog post to share, its this one, you don't know who might need to see it.
Lots of Love, Blog_Grace 😘 xxx