Humans of Haxby

08th October 2020 - 3:39 PM

For World Mental Health Day, we asked our staff to describe their past struggles and highlight how they coped.
Our staff are human beings too and, like everyone, we’re finding things difficult at the moment. Please be kind to us and help us to help you.

Times of struggle.
 
“I recently struggled with low mood and poor motivation.  This started before COVID, but has worsened.  The loss of some social supportive factors that I didn’t even realise were supportive factors and the constant changes, pushed my mood lower and lower. 
 
“Even the loss of walking up and down the corridor probably made a difference and my average daily step count dropped.  I didn’t talk about this, and tried to keep going, but my resilience became incredibly low to the point where I couldn’t keep going and had to take time away from work.”

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“I found out my husband had been gambling. Things had gotten out of control and we were on the brink of bankruptcy and losing our home. It felt bleak, lonely and frightening.”

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“I felt really lost and alone for years. I was really stuck and everything was bleak. I didn’t like myself and I often found myself irritated by others.”

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“Everyone seems to shine brighter or stand out a lot more than me. I have always hated the spotlight.”

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“When I lost my mum I really ended up down and alone, I really felt that nobody would miss me.”
 
Things which helped
  
My cats and having to keep getting out of bed to feed them, and the affection and company they provided.
 
Let’s Meditate app & www.calm.com 
 
Writing things down. 
 
Focusing on the small things. Keeping a routine and not beating myself up if the house was a mess and I’d spent the whole day in bed watching the tv. 
 
Exercise/diet and routine
 
Talking to family and friends 
 
Work – I liked myself as an employee.

Build on anything good. Surround yourself with people that remind you that you’re worthwhile.
 
Nature. Loved ones. Comedy. Music.
 
Supportive GP.
 
Reading ‘Beyond Childnessness’ by Rachel Black and Louise Scull.
 
Positive outcomes
 
“I have given a tutorial to colleagues discussing my own experiences in the hope of allowing them to feel confident in speaking up if they do start to struggle.”
 
“I have been much more open in talking to colleagues about what I have been through, trying to make sure they know they can talk to me too if they feel down.”
 
“It taught me to value the little things. To realise that at any moment the world you know can change in a second. To understand that you never know what someone else is experiencing at that moment in time and how important kindness and tolerance can be.”
 
“Having genuine conversations with loved ones with no facade.”