The Garden

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The Corona-Virus pandemic and the resulting lockdown of difficulties for many people with Mental Health problems. have created Here are two Young People , Lizzie Knott from Watford, and Bertie Campbell, a student in Aberdeen, describing how it has impact on you.

Lizzie Knott is a 22-year-old Illustrator living with depression:

For me, depression feels like my cat Rodney is sitting on my chest. He sits there for a few days and not moving. He is not much heavier, but in a way that keeps active me, to do Things a little like a baby in a sling. This is because I have what is known as a high-functioning depression. But during Those Days something small to Make Me cry, " and may feel hopeless, really.

I waited for my depression to spring up on me in this strange and turbulent time, and This Week it finally has.

The Feeling , that the Things out of My Control and cannot escape, a situation, I feel pretty anxious and depressed anyway, and I think The Weight of this pandemic and how much My Life has changed in just three weeks, suddenly hit.

Like many people, I just ride The Waves to what is happening in The World , to process them, how I'm feeling about it, Until Now . I can't apply for a Job, or my future, or forward My Life , and that is what scares me sometimes. I think, "what's The Point in everything I'm doing?".

My Uni days are over and I have to move out of The House I rented with my three best Friends - my support system. I was the Only one that doesn't cry when we say goodbye to each other. I felt Only a tingling numbness - in order, but artificially in order.

of course, I felt very sad deep, Deep Down , but it was like my brain in defense mode. Now I'm back home with my parents, brother and sister. Home is a strange place for me, because it reminds me of when my Mental Health was really bad, a few years ago.

My depression stems from PTSD and will probably be on me for the rest of My Life . But it is something I have learned, to the fuel in the positive work of art.

I hope that if this pandemic goes, my negative feelings can be replaced At Home , with positive, warm, because we all support each other. I'm going to look back on the Board-game nights, we had to help pass The Time , and The Meals we ate together in The Garden . My Family are amazing, and I'm happy to be in a safe environment with you.

As is in lockdown, I have since the draw was made of flowers and light, because it's a reminder that spring is still blooming and The World is still around. I see the beauty in Things I used to take for granted. I'm looking forward to the sunset right now, if, before the would never I was looking for, because I was busy with uni or work.

I look outside at the eerily quiet canal paths, which is usually families are full and you take in the empty, the alone.

the lockout has given me a lot of time for self-reflection - is my pace of life is slower now. But I know not everyone is so lucky. Most of my mind taken up with thinking about the pandemic - Only the important Things are important to you now and the little Things more.

of course, I wish I had the depression at all. But I'm learning to welcome you as a familiar face, like my cat. And if this bout of depression passes, The Light around me much Shine brighter than before.

Bertie Campbell, 23, is in his second year studying chemistry at the University of Aberdeen. He has a history of self-harm and depression, and is spending lockdown in his University room.

It's hard to see all My Friends Go Home to their families, while I stay here in my Uni accommodation. All the public areas were locked. I feel good, my friend has stayed here with me and we self-isolation.

I have not lived with my parents since I was 17 and not about a relationship with one of them, where you have to go back would be an option.

My University driving very abruptly a few weeks before the lockdown study started, and since then, I have no motivation to continue, because we have no exams anymore, and I feel like all the Hard Work I've done, this term is meaningless.

Bertie is trying hard to talk to Friends , out there in The World

just before I was furloughed from the hardware store, where I work, I bought a lot of plants, so, at least, makes it a calming, green space.

Depression feels like a weight on my shoulders. It does not mean that I do not know if, when I Wake up in The Morning I feel a slight, but overpowering feeling of sadness, or whether every single little thing is to feel like The End of The World .

I'm not A Stranger to spend a lot of time isolated in my room, so maybe in some ways I'm better prepared for the lockout than others. At my lowest, I used to hide in my room, sometimes for months. I'd hold the answers to people who have contact and I would lose hours and hours, just staring at my phone in bed.

fortunately, there at the University, I have Good Friends in my room and drag me out, there something to do that will Make Me happy or distract me.

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read more on Mental Health , from The Bbc :

But now she's gone and I'm self-isolate, and my depression makes me very grumpy with everyone in The World . I feel bad because I have to go, yesterday, exploded at my friend and said to him, and do his daily exercise. Then I sent a sorry text.

I have to fight with boredom and try to be a productive way to stimulate me. I found myself picking Facebook fights with people, the spread of stupid Things and posting conspiracy theories about coronavirus. I must try to resist scrolling through Facebook for hours, because it makes me very excited and I end up in a completely Pointless political arguments.

At the start of this lockdown, my friend and I would just Wake up and watch Netflix and play Video Games , but now we have decided that he is learning a little Spanish and I learn some Italian, because it is something that we have said, we want to do it for ages. I also have not touched my guitar in about six months, but I thought now would be a Good Time to secure it. I've noticed I'm drinking too much, and This Week I'll try to get that back under control.

If you are feeling really low, it's easy to fall back into Bad Habits , but I'd read by someone to say this who feels as I do - try, at least a little act of self-care day and it will make a difference. For me, The Most important thing is to continue to talk to Friends , out there in The World , whether online or by text or on The Phone .

I know that it would be beneficial to go outside to do the daily exercise, but now I don't have the motivation. It was Only when I went to the store recently that I realized I had forgotten what that smell out. I went through some grass and thought, "Ah, the grass is really nice. "

As I said, Kirstie Brewer

depression, coronavirus lockdown measures, self-isolation, coronavirus pandemic, mental health, social distancing, aberdeen, watford

Source of news: bbc.com