Helping people adapt to new ways of living during the coronavirus pandemic

Megan Dixon

The Trust’s Let’s Talk – Wellbeing service provides patients across Nottingham City and parts of Nottinghamshire, and Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland with psychological assessment and treatment (talking therapies) for common mental health problems.

Megan Dixon, Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, is one of the team offering telephone support for people experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. She says that while the problems patients speak to her about haven’t essentially changed over the last few months, they have clearly been exacerbated by the isolation people are feeling.

“While there was a drop off in referrals at the beginning of lockdown, as people have had more time to perhaps focus on themselves, we have seen a gradual increase back to normal levels,” said Megan. “People have been trying to adjust to changes such as working from home, a reduction in social interaction and a lack of the normal structure to their daily life, all of which can lead to depression and anxiety. There is also a lot of uncertainty in the world right now.”

Offering support and guided self-help

Wellbeing practitioners within the Let’s Talk - Wellbeing service offer support and guided self-help, teaching clients the tools and techniques they can use to manage and overcome their symptoms.

Megan said: “Much of what we’ve been doing during the pandemic is supporting people to make adaptations that will help them cope with the changes we’ve seen in all our lives.

“For example, we will have had support systems in the past that we haven’t even realised were even there – like visiting family or going out with colleagues after work. These are important for us all, and in these new circumstances we need to adapt how we link with the people that matter and recognise how crucial these links are to our mental wellbeing.”

Recognising the value of everyday enjoyment

Megan has also focused on helping clients consider how they can continue with the hobbies that they enjoy. “We can look at the reasons someone enjoys a particular activity and help them find a new way of bringing that value back into their life,” she said. “A person who enjoys football for example, might value the team spirit or physical challenge, so they could replace this with an independent physical activity such as running and introduce a competitive element.”

Megan added that feedback from patients shows that they have been pleased with the response time and flexibility of the service, and have appreciated having the time to talk to someone more objective, outside of the family, during these challenging times.

If you need support from Let’s Talk – Wellbeing call 0300 300 2200 or visit www.letstalkwellbeing.co.uk

Covid-19 restrictions may have changed since this article was written. Please check your local government website for the latest guidance.