This Mental Wealth Trialogue event was the first virtual one to take place, on 22 July, spurred on by the Covid 19 pandemic. Eight people attended. Artwork is by Claire Holloway, inspired by themes brought up in the discussion.
Question – how can mental health be promoted in communities given the impact of Covid 19?
At a safe distance!
Social media is having quite an impact
A lot more impact in the news, more awareness
Only since the beginning of the pandemic
Now there is lots of publicity for mental health as if they didn’t have mental health problems before
Mental health is made worse by social isolation
There is a lot of awareness but as if Covid 19 is the cause
The whole virus thing has brought lots of issues to the fore front
Social view on certain jobs has shifted
People are noticing mental health now, a kind of false impression that all were OK before
Surviving during the pandemic is being worked on now, why not before?
Does that impact on how we promote good mental health?
The pandemic has shone light on inequalities in community and highlighted the importance of community. If maybe we can have a better awareness going forward
Not hugging is so hard
Journaling is very therapeutic
Creative expression, there has been more time for that this is a good outlet
Lots of activities have stopped and we’ve been forced to express ourselves in other ways
What does the future hold for us all collectively?
It can be really hard to learn to deal with our own company
Had to learn to build a structure, or routine
I have been feeling more compassion and can understand others loneliness more
Have really relied on the Internet, it would have been harder without it
Music and singing and choir online is great
Really noticed the local birds in a quiet time, we could no longer keep ignoring the impact of nature
Accessing things in faraway places is possible now which we would never have done if the world wasn’t locked down
It feels like we are all in it together
Routine and structure, for a busy person responding to external things are quiet time was really difficult. Creating a new routine wasn’t possible without the Internet
Have explored the local area for exercise and got to know places better
Would be wonderful if we have a more compassionate world going forward
People are often being considerate and talking more
There is an awareness of new roles and a respect for shop assistants
The world has slowed down enabling time to be kind to each other
Is there a difference to real encounters as opposed to social media?
Some have reported extra stress online where more fighting is happening. This has been shown by splitting values particularly over conspiracy versus science. It has unsettled some friendships
Every one want others to be angry about things
Careful use of social media is a way to avoid these arguments
It is unsettling that those we used to be streamlined to are now split
There can be less privacy online
We can thank people that do every day jobs which we used to take for granted for example refuse collectors, we now realise that without these people we would be in trouble now
How do we not forget what we’ve learnt during this period?
If we kept up the good stuff re creativity etc. We would be a mentally more healthy society.
Elements will carry on and will stick
New routines to get used to such as wearing masks
Artistic stuff isn’t niche any more we are doing creative things differently
We are changing and adapting
There is an explosion in mindfulness too. Concentrating on being here and now has become essential
There are new avenues for release of feelings