Lonliness and isolation

Many people with mental health challenges face lonliness and isolation. If you are unemployed because of your mental illness staying in the house withdrawing from others can only cause more anxiety and make mental health issues worse.

Connecting with others, by going to groups and meeting up with a friend or friends or family can help lift your mood and help improve your mental health issues.

The saying that no man is an island is true. We need each other. Lock down during covid proved that and showed how many people developed mental health problems at this time. This was a time when we were prevented from having social contact with others.

Those with Mental health challenges found their illness got worse.

Working part-time or volunteering if you are able to and not everyone can, will help. It gives you a chance to be around others and again connect with the outside world.

However since this is not always an option for everyone suffering with mental health issues. You could instead think about checking on a friend or neighbour or a grand parent, or offering to help a friend. This will take your mind off your own mental health problems to focus on something else. It will lift your mood.

Also attending a prayer meeting or going to church will help you feel connected and meet friends who can encourage you and build your faith in God.

It is usually when your mind is telling you not to go out to socialise with others, not to bother, that is when you need to do the opposite and go and meet others and form connections. You will find 99 percent of the time you will have a great time and be thank ful for it. It will have a massive affect on your mood and confidence. Your feel happier.

Even speaking to someone you trust on the phone can help or inviting a friend round for a hot chocolate or a cup of tea can mean you are connecting.

Speaking to a friend or the Samaritans can really be a relief when things are on your mind and you feel lonely or isolated. There may be mental health charities that run groups in your local area and helplines that can relieve isolation.

A lot of people with mental illnesses find that their illness prevents them from working or having a quality of life they would wish.

Since the illness can sometimes be quite unpredictable there is not always jobs suited to everyone with mental health illnesses and this can lead to isolation. Most can find themselves at home or confined to their flats or houses if they live alone.

Living alone can be quite lonely. It often takes a long time to get used to. Having a routine is so important. Making sure you have a balance where you are breaking up that time on your own during the week and seeing others sometimes is important in combating lonliness and isolation.

Doing things you enjoy and having some hobbies and finding joy in life. Doing Courses and going for walks, taking photographs. Art or writing or swimming. Playing an instrument doing whatever you find fun can make life more interesting.

Life is not meant to be serious all the time. Suffering with a mental health condition can be difficult and daunting sometimes, thats why fun is important. As much as possible in my view.

I feel that people with mental health illnesses need to be more understood and not excluded from society. This only makes those suffering more depressed because they are not part of society, but excluded from society and work. People with mental illnesses still have goals feelings and ambitions, want to work and be a part of society it is just the condition that gets in the way.

'We need support from the benefits system to work and while we are working the small hours we can manage. Because a mental health condition is unpredictable in nature. There is some support out there but some sickness benefits still don't support this.'

Some people with mental health illnesses can work full time some part time others can not work at all. I feel there needs to be more job roles for those with Mental health illness. Temping work can be ideal aswell as romote working and self employment.

However there still needs to be more financial support in regards to sickness benefits for those with Mental illness conditions to get back into some form of work and still be supported financially. Because these conditions are often lifelong. This is no fault of the person. The benefit system has improved but still has a long way to go.

Since mental health is on the rise in my view the government need to do more to include those with mental health challenges into society so that social isolation can be a thing of the past and so that people with mental illnesses can feel like part of the working world.