COVID-19 — Coronavirus

[BlueAnorak]

I'll probably get flamed for this, and I should start with a big caveat that clearly *some* people do have mental health issues which are very real and sometimes very serious.

However, it seem to me that either the entire nation is suffering from some kind of weird and inexplicable explosion in mental illness... Or, the alternative far more likely scenario, which is that there a fuck of a load of snowflakes who just need to man the fuck up.

Only last night I heard some poor soul whinging on about how worried they were about COVID-19 and that "i'm worried about the effect on my mental health". Do people not realise that "being worried" is perfectly normal??? Some people seem incapable of dealing with even an atom of stress. I've spent my entire life being stressed and worried. It's what humans do. And we just have to get on with it, not whinge about "our mental health".

I agree with you It's called an inability of the population to measure risk and act on your own bat accordingly. More customarily known as a complete lack of "Common Sense".

(Note: Bet I get flamed more than you.)

 

[twosips]

Fear is not mental illness either.

You ignored the stuff I said in the original post about people being stuck in a constant state of 'fight or flight'. This is what causes the anxiety, and this is what makes people feel incredibly low. This is biology. It isn't a choice they are making. We've got unprecedented numbers of people going through the same situation. Leading health experts, officials, scientists and god knows however many other highly intelligent people have all been warning about a potential mental health crisis on the horizon. They're not just saying 'shit, people are pussies, everyone is gonna be sad'. Once again, their views are based on science, knowing that these things happen due to physiological reactions. They're not just being wimps for the sake of it.

https://www.uchealth.org/today/how-to-tame-fight-or-flight-responses-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

Many have heard about the “fight-or-flight” response. What most people don’t realize is how strongly our ingrained responses influence us, especially during a crisis like the one going on right now.

Parts of our brains specialize in scanning incoming information for danger. Most stuff passes by this risk filter – like a familiar, friendly dog. But if a piece of information seems dangerous – like a big, barking dog racing toward us – the system triggers and a whole bunch of responses happen. Our heart and lungs speed up, our body tenses, blood redirects to larger muscles, we feel anxious and alert, and more. Our body gets ready to run or fight for our lives.

The effect isn’t just physical. The logic center in our brain gets suppressed and our fear center takes over. This means choices we’d normally make calmly and rationally are instead driven by anxiety and worries – whether they are real or imagined.

The fight-or-flight response is great if you need to run away from a bear or fight off an attacker, but threats like the coronavirus pandemic don’t give us a clear outlet for all that energy. And that’s when trouble starts.

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

probably anxiety which is mental illness and very common.

I agree

 

[Saddleworth2]

I think you are describing "being worried".

Being worried is perfectly normal, although undesirable. But it is not mental illness.

No. Don’t agree with that. I worry. Bit like you have spent my life stressed by work mainly but have always coped mentally. What @twosips described is more a physical reaction and I have seen it at different times and in different ways with friends and relatives.

Panic attacks, physical responses, caused by mental health issues go way beyond worry so I do think there is a scale of response and everyone is very different. Those of us that cope with stress and just ‘worry’ are just fortunate rather than strong.

 

[twosips]

I agree with you It's called an inability of the population to measure risk and act on your own bat accordingly. More customarily known as a complete lack of "Common Sense".

Ah yes, how dare they get uneasy about losing their jobs, cancelling everything they have planned, worrying about vulnerable family members etc. If only they had 'common sense' hey? Cheers, BlueAndroid.

Edit - that 'BlueAndroid' thing was a flippant joke, before you get annoyed by it. It isn't fair to label everyone who is struggling as lacking common sense though. Quite cruel in fact.

 

[Gelsons Dad]

I agree with you It's called an inability of the population to measure risk and act on your own bat accordingly. More customarily known as a complete lack of "Common Sense".

(Note: Bet I get flamed more than you.)

You don't need common sense when you have nanny states skirt to cling on to.

 

[jay_mcfc]

I would call 111 then and see if you can get a test and just be really careful in the meantime

I’ll see how I feel in the morning then find a local testing centre in Valencia.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Think she did well, might make the journalists ask more sensible questions.

I agree. It’s a bit barmy asking the Scientific Advisor why testing and tracing capacity was inadequate. Where are the invisible CEOs of Local Authorities whose mega salaries didn’t extend to sustaining public health capacity and capability.

 

[kaz7]

I agree with you It's called an inability of the population to measure risk and act on your own bat accordingly. More customarily known as a complete lack of "Common Sense".

(Note: Bet I get flamed more than you.)

That is utter bollocks

 

[Gelsons Dad]