For many of us, living through a pandemic will be one of the most significant events we will experience, where ‘life as we know it’ completely changes.

The Government’s imposed restrictions on day-to-day life, whilst necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, can have significant effects on our mental health. You may begin to experience boredom, frustration, increased anxiety and worries, and miss connecting with the people in your life face-to-face.

Here, we have gathered together a range of resources to help you through it:

Telephone Therapy

Talking to an experienced professional can help. Focus are continuing to offer a full range of telephone counselling and talking therapies during the Coronavirus outbreak. If you are a Hull resident with a Hull GP, you can access help for FREE. Simply visit the Let’s Talk website here, complete the online referral and ask to have your care provided by Focus. Appointments are available quickly and at times to suit you.

Online Resources

Thankfully, there are lots of online resources, containing tips to help you stay well, mentally and physically.

Here are a few to look at:

The NHS Guide to Mental Wellbeing While Staying at Home

The Mental Health Foundation

Mind – Coronavirus and your Wellbeing

We know that physical activity plays an important role in our mental health too. Thankfully, the Government guidance permits one form of exercise outside of the house, either alone or with people from your household. Also, there are more options for exercising at home being made available online.

Here are some to check out:

Celebrity fitness coach, Joe Wicks, is doing an online PE lesson at 9am every morning, suitable for all ages. Click here to visit his YouTube channel.

If Yoga is your thing, US based CorePower Yoga are streaming online classes here

For the older folk among us, or if you are less mobile, Joe Wicks also has a 10 minute chair workout available here

Stay Connected

Staying connected to the people in your life is especially difficult when you are unable to leave your home. Telephone calls are a great way to keep in touch, but being able to see each other is even better.

There are a number of free apps that can help:

Skype is free and offers a great way to video call family and friends, from your laptop, tablet or mobile.

Zoom is another good option, although video calls are limited to 40 minutes on the free plan.

Whatever you do, however you do it, good luck and stay well!