I’ve long thought that our relationship with this government mirrors exactly the relationship with an abuser who likes to manipulate and undermine.

THREAD

They tell us they’re leaving. Or that we have to get out.
Then they INSIST they’re leaving. Or that we have to get out.
But then they don’t, or they keep changing the date, or they keep changing their mind.
Then they can’t decide how to leave and we have no idea what’s going on.

They isolate us.
They tell us they’re not going to restrict our movement. Except they do. They say they don’t have a problem with us seeing our family and friends.
But then they do.
They change their mind for Christmas.
Then they change it back again.
We have no idea what’s what.

They don’t give us any warning of a significant change of plan and often they tell us bad news on the weekend- when we can’t do anything and we haven’t prepared - and this creates more disruption and anxiety.

They tell us we can work.
And then they tell us we can’t.
We have to do more with less money but it doesn’t occur to them that this will create hardship.

They are not affected and do what they have always done- oblivious to our eroding circumstances.

We live a life of high anxiety.
We have become hyper vigilant and are constantly walking on eggshells.
Our sleep is disrupted and we start to feel agitated and hemmed in.

We don’t know what the rules are. There are so many we can’t keep up. And they keep changing.

But we know there are consequences for breaking the rules.
Even if we don’t know what they are and are unsure about if we break them.

We look for ways to resist. Not enough to get caught or to get punishment but enough to feel that we still have some control of our lives.

We are told what to wear, how to wear it and where to wear it.

And what not to wear.

We have a curfew and an app monitors our movements.

They make us feel less than human.

So, for anyone who has not had the lived experience of being with a manipulative, controlling and micromanaging person, but who has felt a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty and stress and is feeling totally gaslighted by what’s happening with covid and Brexit.

You do.