COMMENT: We're all in this together - so don't suffer in silence

Life in lockdown was never going to be easy. We've had to give up some pretty fundamental freedoms and get used to a new normal, unable to go out and do all the things we normally enjoy.

Some have had to cope with contracting the virus itself, while others have had the challenges of working from home, being furloughed or maybe losing their jobs and home schooling to contend with.

So it's not really surprising that many people have been psychologically affected by the measures imposed by the government to try to halt the spread of coronavirus.

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As well as being confined to quarters, the disruption to our daily lives and the inability to see friends and loved ones, there's the uncertainty, fear and worry about the pandemic that we might be feeling.

A survey of News readers found 10 per cent of people felt the lockdown had ‘severely affected’ their mental health. Meanwhile 42 per cent said it had at least ‘slightly affected’ their mental health.

But today we also report how mental health experts are urging people not to suffer in silence. The message is that if you're feeling low, it's okay to ask for help.

Worryingly, this comes at a time when mental health clinicians across the city say there has been a drop in patients.

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So please, ask someone you know how they are doing. Encourage them to open up. Or if you're struggling, consider contacting organisations and agencies that can offer support.

As Time to Change south east co-ordinator Angela Etherington says, showing kindness to others is a great way to help us feel better about ourselves and look at life more positively.

Make time to chat to people you know and maybe volunteer to help a neighbour with errands.

Remember, we're all in this together and nobody should suffer in silence.

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