A “perfect storm” of mental health stresses is being created with lockdowns, economic anxiety, enforced social distancing, poor weather and isolation – meaning millions of home workers will suffer in silence this Winter.
The UK is possibly facing its biggest ever mental health crisis since the WWII this Winter as a combination of many factors will contribute to the low mood and poor mental health of millions of employees working from home.
According to the ONS (Office of National Statistics) 69% of adults in the UK are staying that Coronavirus is having a negative effect on their life and the drill down statistics are even worse:
63% are worrying about the future
56% are feeling stressed or anxious
49% are bored
“The worrying thing is everyone is in the same boat – we are so busy fighting our own fires – many of us don’t have the time or energy to help others”, says Jonathan Ratcliffe from office company Offices.co.uk.
“People are having a rotten time of it at the moment, and this Winter will be a real crunch point for many”.
Critical stress factors this Winter include:
Lockdowns – working from home and seeing less family/friends mean increasingly isolated lives
Uncertainty – Worries over employment and the economy creating a feeling of anxiousness
Poor Weather – Less daylight, poor weather means less opportunity to leave the house for fresh air and exercise
“The big worry for myself and my colleagues is either a new National lockdown, or the schools will close, because this will tip the balance for many people working from home and just managing to keep things on an even keel”, says Jonathan Ratcliffe
Offices.co.uk offers these general pointers to those working from home and feeling the pressure:
Routine – it’s vital if you want to be motivated that you set a routine. Make sure you get up at a decent time and start work at 9am.
To do list – Start by writing a small list of work to achieve, lower your expectations and work towards ticking all those goals even if they are small.
Talk to someone – If you have a work buddy, you’d usually chew the fat with, why change? Give them a call, maybe first thing – helps you both realise you are not alone.
Food and drink – Make sure you eat properly and stay hydrated throughout the day.
Fresh air – At lunch time take a walk or sit outside, put your phone down, look around and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Finish at 5 – Don’t be tempted to work into the evening, try and finish up around the same time as you would normally.
Put the phone down – After “work” is over, try to forget about it. Enjoy time with a partner or family.
Wine O’clock – It’s tempting to hit the wine each night, we’re under stress. But you didn’t booze like this before, time to reduce intake and get a good sleep.
Sleep – Decent bedtime and try and get 8 hours solid sleep if possible.
Plan for the other side – This will end, we simply don’t know when yet, and when it does you need to be in the best shape possible to seize any opportunities. Get planning!
“Bosses need to be very aware that their remote staff might be struggling, and while they have their own pressures, they need to reach out and monitor staff daily to make sure any issues can be addressed – being sensitive and caring is upmost for employers this Winter period”, concludes Jonathan Ratcliffe from Offices.co.uk
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Watch your stress levels
We all experience stress from time to time. There are many things that can lead to us feeling stressed. It can come from the news, our jobs, financial insecurity, health issues and personal problems. Feeling constantly stressed and overwhelmed can lead to a rise in blood pressure and resting heart rate, both of which increase our risk of having a heart attack.
We have some tips to help you avoid unnecessary stress and deal with existing stress in a healthy way:
What is stress?
Stress is essentially when we feel threatened or under pressure and our bodies are preparing to either fight or run away from our current situation. This so-called ‘fight or flight’ response should only occur on rare occasions and it is useful for getting us out of dangerous situations. For many people stress can be more long term and persistent and this can have a negative impact on our mental and physical health.
Avoid consuming too much news
Whilst it may be important for us to stay up to date with current affairs, a constant stream of negative news reports can be a source of stress and anxiety. The World Health Organization recommends that we watch, read or listen to the news to just once or twice a day for short periods. Why not schedule a daily timeslot when you will allow yourself to check the news (e.g. 7:00 pm – 7:30 pm).
Walk your way to a healthy heart
Not only is regular physical activity good for our heart health, but it can also alleviate stress. It is recommended that adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week, such as brisk walking. When we feel stressed, we may tell ourselves we are too busy to exercise. However, physical activity does not have to be a time-consuming chore.
Incorporating small changes to increase our daily steps can improve our overall mental and physical health. You could start by making small changes, such as parking at the furthest point away from the shop entrance in the car park, getting off the bus a stop early, or leaving your office during your lunch break to take a walk.
Breathing and meditation
Just breathe. Despite the growing attention that meditation and breathing exercises is getting, it is still one of the most underrated things you can do to ease your stress levels and lower your blood pressure. To do this all you need is 10 minutes of your day to sit and do absolutely nothing but concentrate on your breathing.
Meditation is one of the simplest and cheapest ways of reducing your stress levels and blood pressure, and there are many free guided meditation resources online to teach you how to do it.
Ask for help
Sometimes stress can feel overwhelming and you may need a little help to manage it. Try speaking to a friend, family member or a work colleague about how you feel. If you think you would benefit from professional help, you can speak to your GP.
The benefits of staying active as restrictions ease have been highlighted, as new research shows worry about the coronavirus situation has risen amongst Scots.
A new phase of the Clear Your Head campaign launched yesterday to help people look after their mental health, as research shows seven in ten people in Scotland (71 per cent) are worried about the coronavirus situation, the highest level seen since mid-June1 (59 per cent).
The latest phase of the campaign is encouraging people to keep up any new habits they may have started during the pandemic. It also highlights how making time to get active and do one thing, however big or small, can help people feel calmer and boost mood.
The website – clearyourhead.scot – gives practical tips and ideas on how to stay active and feel the benefits, including:
Build being active into your day by stretching, working out, walking or cycling
Be realistic about what’s achievable, start small and build up over time
Do something you enjoy, mixing things up to help make it interesting
Make it sociable, turning being active into a chance to catch up with people
The website also signposts helplines for those who need to talk to someone about how they’re feeling, including NHS24, Breathing Space, SAMH and the Samaritans.
Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: “Life may be moving more as restrictions ease, but this can bring new challenges as people juggle work, family and other commitments. We are living in uncertain times and feelings of stress and worry are understandable as things continue to change, but there are practical things you can do to help you cope.
“Getting outside and keeping up active habits adopted during the pandemic, even for a short period of time, will help you feel better and more in control. It’s so important to be kind to yourself, and remember that help and support is available if you need to talk to someone about how you are feeling.”
Cycling Scotland and Paths for All backed the campaign, as organisations that recorded increases in cycling and walking rates during lockdown2 – and encouraged people to keep going.
Keith Irving, Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland said: “Cycling is great for your physical and mental health. Many more people were on their bikes during lockdown and we heard from so many how much of a difference cycling was making to their mental health, enjoying cleaner air, quieter roads and reducing feelings of stress.
“As we battle against Covid-19 and move through different phases, everyday physical activity is more important than ever to look after our physical and mental health. Whether it’s a bike ride at lunchtime, when you go to the shops or at the weekend with people in your household, cycling can really help you fit physical activity into the daily juggle.
“Workplaces, campuses, schools and social housing providers can play their part by working with Cycling Scotland and partners to provide cycle parking and make bikes available to more people. Everyone can help support each other through this terrible pandemic and cycling is a great way of clearing your head.”
Ian Findlay CBE, Chief Officer at Paths for All, said:“Walking is an easy way to reduce stress and anxiety and feel good in body and mind. Just a 30-minute daily walk is one of the best ways to look after your physical and mental health and, as it’s something we can do from our own front door.
“We’ve been gathering stories documenting how life-changing walking during lockdown has been for many. We’ve spoken to people whose anxiety has melted away thanks to walking. People living alone used walks to see others safely, and feel connected to their communities. Some used walking to have fun as a family, while others walked to relieve stress and enjoy some time away from desks and busy homes. We’ve genuinely discovered that whatever your situation – a walk can often help.”
For practical tips on keeping up good habits, visit clearyourhead.scot
As schools reopen, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has warned of a mental health “perfect storm” for children and young people.
The warning comes on the back of figures obtained by BBC Scotland via an FOI request which indicate that the number of referrals for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has dropped by a staggering 57 per cent* between April and June 2019 and April and June 2020.
These range from a 28 per cent fall in requests for NHS Orkney to 80 per cent in NHS Dumfries and Galloway. NHS Lothian reported a drop of 48%.
The SCSC has warned that mental health services will face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure due to pent-up demand created by the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with a cut in youth support services. This could potentially lead to a “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
It has urged the Scottish Government to work with authorities and invest significantly in mental health services as children return to school and to ensure that teachers and other staff are aware of the services on offer for young people needing support.
The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a ‘perfect storm’ for our young people, with increased demand coupled with cuts in services.
“While referrals have dropped during lockdown and children are not accessing support, we are storing up immense problems for the future as mental health services face being overwhelmed due to greatly increased demand.
“The Government needs to work urgently with the relevant authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible for young people and their parents or carers.
“Mental health services must be given funding and resources equal to that of physical health provision and this pandemic has ushered in an urgency and necessity that cannot be ignored.
“Not just the NHS but also third sector and other independent organisations who play such a key role in addressing mental health services must receive the funding they vitally need or we face having a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.”
Support needed for children as they return to school,says NSPCC
An NSPCC Scotland spokesperson said: “We know that many children in Scotland have suffered difficult and traumatic experiences over the past few months.
“During lockdown, we saw a rise in contacts to Childline about mental and emotional health and our NSPCC helpline made 40% more referrals to Police Scotland and local authorities.
“Now, as children across the country return to school, it is crucial they are given the support they need to help them recover from any mental and physical harm. The Scottish Government, local authorities and health boards need to ensure that they have sufficient resources in place to respond to a likely increased need for therapeutic services.”
As part of the Clear Your Head campaign, the Scottish Government’s Principal Medical Officer acknowledged the challenges facing those who have lived with the most severe restrictions over the last four months, offering practical advice to help deal with feelings of fear and uncertainty.
These include:
· Build things back up gradually, doing a little more every few days.
· Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and routine.
· Focus on the things you can control such as complying with physical distancing and wearing face coverings.
· Return to the things that you enjoy as soon as possible.
· Don’t let a bad day or experience set you back – try again, maybe in a few days.
In addition, the Clear Your Head website – clearyourhead.scot – provides a range of tips and sources of advice to help people look after their mental health over the coming weeks and months as they adapt and adjust.
Principal Medical Officer for Mental Health Dr Alastair Cook said: “Whilst some of those who have been shielding may be looking forward to a return work, activity and increased social contact, many will have experienced a loss of confidence arising from the natural fear and anxiety the pandemic has generated.
“Feelings of anxiety are normal and to be expected, but there are things you can do that will help.
“Build things back up slowly and focus on the things you are in control of. Try not to get anxious or frustrated by others that do things differently, as your frustration will impact on you more than it does them. Sometimes things won’t go to plan and you may experience more anxiety in a situation than expected. This is normal and it’s important not to blame yourself for a setback or let it stop you trying to return to activity.
“Take things a day at a time and remember that help is available if you need it. Be kind to yourself, and reach out if you need to talk to someone about how you’re feeling.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Thursday 16 July):
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us again today. I’m joined today by the Deputy First Minister and by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nicola Steedman.
I’ll start with the usual update on the Covid-19 statistics.
An additional 11 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,384.
A total of 630 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 19 more than yesterday but it includes a reduction of 9 in the number of confirmed cases.
A total of 6 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is the same number overall as yesterday but an increase of 1 in the number of confirmed cases.
Since 5 March, a total of 4,138 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.
During the last 24 hours, 1 death was registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, is now 2,491.
Now even one death is of course one too many, but for us to have had just one registered death of a confirmed case in eight days is a sign of the progress we have made.
That said, the total number of deaths is a painful reminder of the heavy toll that this virus has taken, so once again my thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one.
We will also today publish updated information about the prevalence of the virus in Scotland.
Our modelling suggests that the R number – the average number of people infected by one other infectious person – remains below 1. And the number of people in Scotland with the virus continues to fall. Our central estimate for last week is that 700 people in Scotland were infectious.
Again, these figures are a sign of the considerable progress that has been made. And so as I always do I want to thank everybody who has contributed to that, including every single member of the public across the country, but in particular our health and care workers for the remarkable job that you do in very difficult circumstances.
There are three issues that I want to cover today.
The first is childcare- an issue which is hugely important for families across the country, and which is also hugely important for the economy – today’s job figures published this morning highlight again the economic impact of the pandemic, and the importance of government and everybody working hard to counter that in the weeks and months ahead.
As you know, childcare services were able to reopen fully yesterday, and so John Swinney will talk a bit more about the childcare which is available now, and which will be available in the months ahead.
Before that, however, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works in childcare for all of your efforts to enable children to return safely. It is hugely appreciated by all of us.
I also want to thank parents and carers. I can only imagine how much disruption the closure of childcare settings has caused for you over these past few months. But I want to thank you for understanding why it has been necessary, and for managing throughout this period – sometimes, I know, in very difficult circumstances indeed.
And finally – in the unlikely event that any of you are watching to this briefing! – I want to say again thank you to all of the children across the country who have been affected by the closure of childcare facilities and of schools.
I hope that in the last few days you’ve been able to play with your friends a bit more; and I hope that you are looking forward to going back to nursery or, in a few weeks’ time, going back to school.
But I know how difficult it has been for you to stay indoors for much of the time over the past few months, and I know that not being able to see your friends hasn’t been much fun at all, but you have all been brilliant, and I want you to know that everyone is really proud of you.
The second issue I want to cover is shielding.
The statistics now show that the prevalence of the virus in Scotland is low, and is, at this stage, getting lower. That means that we can update our advice to people who are shielding, in line with the routemap that we set out for you last week.
From tomorrow (Friday), therefore, we advise that you can if you wish stay in any holiday accommodation, including hotels and bed and breakfasts. You can also visit outdoor markets and public gardens.
And in a change that I hope will be particularly welcome, non-cohabiting couples can meet without physical distancing, even if one or both of you is shielding, and even if neither of you lives on your own.
We hope to be able to pause the need for shielding altogether at the end of this month – although even if we do that we will still encourage those in the shielding group to take extra care in things such as physical distancing and hygiene.
I know that the prospect of returning to something more like your normal lives will be welcome for many of you, if not all of you, but I appreciate that it is also likely to be quite daunting.
The Scottish Government will provide more information for you nearer the time, and we will do everything we can to support you in this transition.
In addition the Economy Secretary has asked the UK Government to ensure ongoing financial support for anyone who has been shielding, and who may not be able to go back to work, or to work from home.
In addition, I think that those of us who aren’t shielding should also think about how we can help all of you during this transition.
Wearing masks in shops and on public transport, making sure we all keep 2 metres away from others wherever possible, that’s the best way we can all help to give shielding people the confidence to go out and about safely.
And if you’re an employer, please be sensitive to the concerns of any employees who may be shielding.
If it turns out that we are able to confirm next week that shielding will be paused from 31 July, please reach out to people who might be going back to work; have honest conversations about how you can support them; and try to think creatively about how you can make your workplace safer for them.
As I’ve said before, the relaxation of shielding measures is good news, but it will be prompting some understandable stress and anxiety. All of us can take sometimes small steps, that might make a big difference for people who are shielding.
The final issue I want to cover relates to mental health. Most of the focus on Covid so far – for very obvious reasons – has been on its physical impact.
However, we are also increasingly thinking about the mental health of people who have had Covid.
There are now, for example, more than 500 people who have been discharged from intensive care or high dependency units in Scotland.
Being in intensive care is obviously a traumatic experience – and many Covid patients have had to go through that, without any prospect of being visited by friends and family at any time while they have been in hospital.
So although we know that most people will make a full recovery, with the help of their loved ones – some people we know will need additional support.
Scotland already has a very effective programme, which is used by several health boards, for helping patients who have been in intensive care.
The Inspire programme uses specialists from different disciplines; it puts former intensive care patients in touch with other people who have had the same experiences; and it encourages them to join community organisations or other groups which can help them through.
And so we plan to learn from that in supporting Covid patients.
I am delighted to confirm today that Dr Nadine Cossette – a psychiatrist with NHS Lothian – has agreed to lead on this work. It is an important way of ensuring that people who have had Covid get the long-term help that they need to recover.
Before I hand over to John Swinney and then to Dr Steedman, I want to stress again today that as the figures demonstrate, we have now got to a position – it’s been hard earned, and it has not been easy – but we’ve now got to a position where, at this stage, there are very low levels of the virus in Scotland.
However, as you hear me say every single day, the only way to ensure that things remain that way, is to continue to stick to the rules.
Every single one of us have a duty – and I think it is a duty that all of us have as citizens – to remember that the decisions we take as individuals right now have an impact on the collective wellbeing of us all. That is more important now as we emerge from lockdown than it has been at any point over the last four months.
So I want once again to remind you all of Facts – the five key, vitally important things all of us should remember in absolutely everything we do.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces. They are mandatory in shops and on public transport, but our advice is in any enclosed space where physical distancing might be more difficult, wear a face covering.
Avoid crowded places. Not just crowded places indoors – that is especially important – but even outdoors, avoid crowded places.
Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you’re touching hard surfaces clean them too.
Two metre distancing remains the general rule and the strong advice we give to everyone.
and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms. Remember, if you have a new cough, if you have a fever, if you suffer a loss of or a change in your sense of taste or smell, don’t wait to see if you feel better. Act immediately. Self-isolate and go to the NHS inform website, and book a test. It is by doing that, that you give our test and protect system the opportunity to break the chains of transmission.
So if all of us remember these 5 basic measures, all of us can help to stay safe, protect others, and save lives.
https://youtu.be/Q4t7EjeBHdg
So my thanks, again, to everyone who is doing the right thing, and sticking with these rules. If we all keep doing it then we will continue to make the progress that we’ve seen in recent weeks.
Before I leave today there is one other issue that I want to update you on, which relates to a temporary change to the regularity of these daily briefings.
For the next two weeks we are going to be moving to three briefings a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. That means there will be no tomorrow or on Monday – I will next see you here on Tuesday.
The reason for that is, when you watch these briefings you see those of us who stand at the podiums, but these briefings involve a lot of work on the part of people behind the camera. This allows us to give people a bit of a break over the next two weekends in the summer period.
We will return to five-day-a-week briefings at the start of August as we go into that period running up to the return of schools, when I am sure there will be a lot of questions, not just from the journalists but parents and young people will want to hear regular updates about our progress.
So we do intend to return to the five-day-a-week briefing, but we intend to give people a little bit of a break over the next two weekends, before we go into next, I’m sure, very busy period.
One other change is that of Tuesday next week when I return for the next briefing, we will be at the slightly earlier time of 12.15 every day and that is likely to be a permanent change. So try to remember, if you are planning on tuning in, to tune in 15 minutes early to get the update that we will give you.
Obviously for Mondays and Fridays over the next two weeks we will put out the daily update through the Scottish Government website.
My thanks to all of you for joining us today and as always for complying with the guidance that we ask you to comply with, and that’s the note that I will leave you on.
We are making so much good progress here and we must make sure it continues, so please remember Facts: Face coverings, avoid crowded places, clean your hands, clean hard surfaces, two metres distance, and self-isolate and get a test if you have symptoms.
I can’t stress this enough: if we all stick to these five basic measures, it is possible for us to keep this virus under control, and get that greater normality back into our lives, with perhaps the greatest prize of all – to have children and young people back in full-time education come the middle of August.
So thank you again very much, and I will see you again on Tuesday at 12.15pm.
The latest phase of a thought-provoking study into the role of the funeral in the grieving process is now underway and anyone who has been involved in organising a funeral is invited to participate.
The study, known as ‘Funeral Experts by Experience’, is led by Dr Julie Rugg from the University of York and Dr Sarah Jones from Full Circle Funerals, an independent funeral director in Yorkshire.
The research is overseen by an expert panel including the National Society of Allied Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF), The Good Funeral Guide and the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM).
The research is open to people from all ethnic, cultural and religious or non-religious backgrounds who lost a loved one before the Covid-19 pandemic. This second phase of the study aims to reveal, analyse and process people’s ideas, concerns and expectations about how someone is physically cared for after they have died and the personal care given to the body.
Last year the organisations completed the first phase of the research which has since been presented at several funeral industry conferences and events. The study identified all the factors that bereaved people consistently said were important to them when arranging or attending a funeral.
Dr Julie Rugg said: “During our initial research, lots of the participants shared their opinions about how people are physically looked after once the funeral director has been called, as well as the level of contact with the body.
“This became a focal point and raised further important questions that we plan to explore further. We are now asking volunteers to share their experiences, views and possible recommendations about how funeral directors care for people who have died. In addition, we would like to invite funeral directors to contribute with their thoughts regarding care for people who have died, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Dr Sarah Jones added: “We have created an online questionnaire for funeral directors to complete and are asking anyone who has been involved in a funeral to share their experience and views with us, either during a short telephone interview or by videocall.
“We believe that understanding what bereaved people want, means the funeral industry as a whole can continue to improve the quality of funeral care services and this robust research and insight will help to set standards, training and future regulations.”
More information about the research, as well as the previous published report, is available at https://fullcirclefunerals.co.uk/learning-together/research/ and funeral directors wanting to participate will find the link to the survey there.
Full Circle Funerals, which prides itself on supporting people to create funerals that truly reflect the person who has died, operates four Yorkshire sites and has previously been named ‘Best Modern Funeral Director in the UK’ at The Good Funeral Awards.
