Lived Experience Forum

[Tortoiseshell]

I agree @frog the end of year is a great time to pause and reflect. And welcome 🐸

[BlueBay]

@Tortoiseshell 

Yeah and so much uncertainty for a lot of things 

[TideisTurning]

Hey @frog! Glad to have you with us! That's interesting. I like it though. We've kind of been forced to take a step back from everything, which has provided a lot of space to reflect. 

[Daisydreamer]

It seems like we are all along the same lines here at the moment in terms of how we feel @Tortoiseshell @TideisTurning @Judi9877 @BlueBay. It certianly has been an emotionally exahusting year

[Daisydreamer]

Similarly mine are: nervous, drained and hopeful. 

Hearing your three words for this year, @Tortoiseshell, it sounds like it has been a rollarcoaster between the challenges and the holding onto gratitude. 

Which bring us to our next question:

Covid has had a huge impact on our society, and presented new challenges for all of us.

What was your biggest challenge in managing mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 this year?

[TideisTurning]

Definitely @Daisydreamer! Though one I feel like we should be proud of ourselves for getting through! 

@BlueBay @frog @Judi9877 @Tortoiseshell 

[Tortoiseshell]

100% @Daisydreamer. And thanks everyone for being so honest about where you're at. It's understandable people have strong emotional responses to a year like this, i.e., confusion, frustation, fear ❤️️ 

[Tortoiseshell]

For me, the biggest challenges in managing mental health and wellbeing were the lockdowns in Melbourne where I live, which meant working from home but also limits on connecting with loved ones face-to-face. With all the changes and sense of loss I had a lot of anxiety. It was tough to manage and came in waves with different announcements and restrictions in Victoria. I had to really learn a lot of new skills to get through it! 

[TideisTurning]

Mine were some really tough experiences I had this year, made worse by the fact that I was isolated from most of my closest and most supportive friends due to lockdowns and restrictions. My biggest challenges were staying afloat and finding the small sparks of good hiding around the corners just waiting for me to find them, because they were there, but super good at hiding!  

[TideisTurning]

How about everyone else @BlueBay @frog @Judi9877 ? Share only as much as you're comfortable. I'm hearing it's been tough, so feel free to keep it brief if that's easier 😊