A #mentalhealth tweet as a call for consideration.

On Facebook this morning, I “liked” a friend’s photo. To my astonishment, moments later a message arrived exhorting me to post a similar image of my own, tagging others & warning me not to break the chain because it’s “fun”.

No, it fucking isn’t. Emotional blackmail of that kind is loathsome at the best of times, and especially bad for people whose #mentalhealth is on the edge. Like me.

To explain, the combination of the hormone therapy I’m receiving for #cancer, the lockdown and the general...

... uncertainty of self-employment, especially in these circumstances, has created the perfect storm and I’m suffering from overwhelming #anxiety attacks at odd times. This morning a message from a food delivery company that our order had been delayed to early next week...

... meant that I would have to go shopping (Ann can’t, she’s highly vulnerable because of her Crohn’s medication). This tipped me over the edge, just moments after I’d ‘liked’ that photo. The chain letter message that followed broke me and it so took me aback that...

... it multiplied the effect.

Eventually, I took a deep breath, went out the door still shaking and struggling to breathe, but mercifully, managed to get what we needed in just one local shop that was very quiet.

Now, I don’t want sympathy for myself, but please, please..

...bear in mind that what might seem like an innocent #lockdown laugh to you might be a trigger to someone else suffering #anxiety #depression or other #mentalhealth issues, all of which are exacerbated by the current situation. We’re all stressed more than usual, with our...

...governments telling us what we can & cannot do, and all decent people concerned not just about catching the virus, but potentially spreading it and feeling helpless, with few of us able to do anything to help other than, well – doing nothing, which itself can cause...

...psychological problems. So, by all means *invite* people to participate in stuff, but make it clear that there is no *compulsion* involved and certainly don’t imply that a person would become some sort of pariah simply by not wishing to take part.

Thank you. Stay safe.