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Hi this is a thread of lockdown thoughts for my anyone now staring down their own lonely, shitty winter isolation. First: I am single, living alone, and securely employed. So, that's my situation. Everyone's lockdown here in Melb was a different brand of shit; this is just mine.
2: Accept that you're going to have bad mental health days. And I mean BAD. Like, the worst you've ever had. Talk to your friends about this, tell them what your warning signs are, tell them how they can help. And encourage them to do the same. You will need each other.
3: Self isolation and state-mandated lockdown feel *very* different. People react to it differently, there will be agitators and the media will LOVE them. Stay away from the news if you can. Find journalists you like (sup @DaveMilbo) and read health department press releases.
3a: Normally I don't advocate for echo chambers but this is not the time to be testing the boundaries of your opinions; you just need to survive. Focus on the science, focus on your friends - the rest is just noise for now. Getting off feed-based socials (twitter etc) may help.
4: You're gonna need structure because time will have no meaning. Put aside 15 minutes to sit and have a cup of tea. Block out an hour to read or play music. Schedule regular video calls with friends. This will keep you anchored while everything else goes weird and elastic.
5: Don't overburden yourself. This is not the perfect time to start a big, complex project. Everything is MUCH harder than it would be under "normal" conditions. It IS a good time to try new things and enthusiastically fail at them in the privacy of your own home, however.
6: Support small, local businesses anywhere you can. Every time you engage with a big store, see if there's an easy way a local store can provide the same thing. Local businesses will be in agony, and you can help them. Protect your community for when you get to the other side.
7: Exercise. We all have different capabilities, but doing something, anything, will lift your mood and god knows you'll need it. Similarly, don't beat yourself up if you lose/put on weight. Listen to your body, give it what it wants, and put happiness first. Goals are for after.
8: In Victoria, couples were allowed to visit each other but single people living alone weren't allowed to nominate a bubble-buddy until the very end of lockdown. That was shitty and cruel, and if you end up in a similar situation make sure you have single friends to complain to.
8a: Everyone's lockdown experience will suck for different reasons - some will be parallel to yours, others won't, and people will be too fucking depressed with their own situation to have the usual degree of empathy. Lean on different people for different things if you can...
... and understand that we all respond to pressure in different ways. There will be arguments and blow-outs and people will piss you right the fuck off for many reasons (or none at all). Forgive, move on, be forgiven. Try not to judge people coping differently to you.
Finally: I am aware people have been self isolating as cases go up. I did! A hard lockdown is different to self-isolation, however, because of the impact it has on the community as a whole (IE those who don't want to do it, media attention etc). Be ready for it to feel different.
Finally finally: You can get through this. You have to. You're not alone, even though it might feel like you are sometimes, and you matter a lot to SO many people - now more than ever, the people you love need you as much as you need them. This sucks, but it's temporary.
