The idea that the coronavirus pandemic might have some upsides that could help us live better lives seems almost distasteful in the face of the destruction and death it has caused so far. Domestic violence has surged in the UK, low-paid workers on zero-hours contracts are sleeping rough on the streets, and poor families in Britain are experiencing worsening food insecurity.
Even for those with a stable income, managing childcare, home schooling, domestic chores and work from home can be overwhelming, with a disproportionate burden falling on women. And it’s still early days. We have yet to see what the full extent of the fallout from this pandemic will be on our mental health, particularly for the most vulnerable people. As academic Cynthia Enloe put it, “We aren’t all in this together. We’re in the same rough seas, but we’re in very different boats. And some of those boats are very leaky. And some of those boats were never given oars. And some of those boats have high-powered motors on them. We are not all in the same boat.”
Yet in all the darkness there have been some real hopeful shifts. For some of those fortunate enough to have a safe and secure home environment that they can work from, the lockdown has had some unexpected silver linings. Some people with mental health conditions have reported feeling much better since the lockdown started. Julie*, a housebound 58-year-old woman with debilitating obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety told me she felt as if the rhythm of the world was finally chiming with her own life. Some of her biggest anxieties around contamination and handwashing were “going mainstream” and settling as a result – though her experiences are unlikely to be typical.
Daniel*, a 42-year-old university lecturer, was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and depression five years ago. Since the pace of life slowed due to the pandemic and he stopped commuting, he has experienced a sense of profound relief, more energy, and an improvement in his anxiety. “My usual life feels like a pinball machine. You’re whacking the buttons and the paddles are flailing around, sometimes not even making contact, and it just doesn’t feel like that any more.”
For some people without an underlying mental health diagnosis, the simple factors of more time to sleep – despite, perhaps, having more weird dreams – more time with pets and loved ones, home cooking, and not having to deal with the overstimulation of life in the outside world, have led to a greater sense of general wellbeing. Daisy Fancourt is leading a team at University College London in an ongoing study to look at the psychological and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic. So far, the results of surveys of over 74,000 people have shown that, despite an initial decline in happiness prior to the lockdown starting, wellbeing has risen over the last few weeks, and anxiety levels have fallen for both people with and without existing mental health disorders.
While the trend may yet change as the lockdown continues, and absolute levels of anxiety are higher for people with mental illness than for those without, the findings are intriguing. Blake Stobie, joint clinical director of the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma in south London, wonders whether things could rebound once social distancing orders are lifted. “Safety-seeking behaviour and avoidance are key factors in anxiety disorders, and we’re looking at a situation where this is naturally being enforced on a societal level. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that the anxiety itself is being addressed. So if you’re socially anxious and you’re in lockdown, then you might expect that your anxiety would reduce. But you haven’t treated the social anxiety.”
Although this drop in anxiety might well be transient, the reasons behind it are worth exploring. Jasmine Cooray is an integrative counsellor working with people suffering from anxiety and depression. She has noted that “lockdown relief” has been especially pronounced in people who have high levels of internal pressure. “People who are driven by keeping up appearances, productivity, showing up to everything, achieving lots, being visible and being there for everyone have found themselves chilling out, landing in a feeling of relief at not having to perform any more. Because they have been given permission to do what they want to do … their relationship to themselves is much more authentic and organic as a result of not having an audience.”
Anxious rumination can be eclipsed by real-world, serious events that blow those thoughts out of the water and offer a sense of perspective. Fomo has lost some of its power now that the scope for envy-inducing activities has shrunk. We are all acutely aware of our own soft-bellied human vulnerability at this moment. It’s OK to not be OK, and to say so.
The bitter political divisions that pitted us against one another over the last few years have receded in the face of a collective threat, at least for now. We have a precious opportunity to think about the ways in which “normal” life can make people anxious and ill. If we can change the arrangement of the post-pandemic world to prioritise compassion, pay people decently, value essential workers, and to fund our public services properly, perhaps we can hang on to this silver lining.
* Names have been changed