Talk!

As we come up to almost 9 months since we first went into lockdown in March, it has been a long time since we were able to catch up with all our friends in person on a frequent basis. Im sure I do not speak for myself when I say there are people I haven’t been able to see since February, and it is so sad that it has got to this point. We were briefly able to catch up with some friends from a distance after lockdown 1.0, but with the arrival of lockdown 2.0, we find ourselves in the same position we were in at the start. However, just because we can’t see people in person, doesn’t mean we should stop talking to them- we shouldn’t. We need to talk to our friends more than we realise at the moment, for our mental health.


Talk to catch up
A lot of the time, we talk to friends simply to have a catch up. Although there hasn’t been much excitement in our lives (well mine anyway), time still passes, and there is still a lot to chat about. If you don’t keep in touch with friends, time passes by quickly, and before you realise it you’ve missed out on hearing about key things they have been through. Seeing as though coronavirus is all that anyone talks about at the moment, it is a refreshing distraction to phone a friend and talk about all sorts of random rubbish. When I catch up with some of my best friends, after a rant about corona, the majority of the time we end up talking absolute c**p, and that’s how I like it. It is the perfect chance to escape the current chaos of the world.


Whilst catching up with friends provides that much needed distraction, they are also there to help you through the harder times.

I even talk to my dogs a lot of the time!

Talk about your worries.
Being at home with my family is great. I have always told my mum pretty much everything, but sometimes you need a different opinion, or you have a worry that you don’t feel comfortable discussing with family. This is where it is important to keep in touch with friends. Friends are always happy to listen to your troubles, and likewise, I want my friends to feel they can come to me with anything that is bothering them. Talking about what is troubling or stressing you can really help. It means somebody else can help you, or, it allows you to rationalise your thoughts and recognise they aren’t that bad. There’s the saying, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved,’ and I truly believe this. As soon as you talk, you will feel so much better, I promise. If it is a worry that is troubling you, by talking, you will likely realise that you aren’t alone in your thoughts. Chances are, whatever is stressing you out at the moment, is also affecting more people than you realise. Saying your worry allowed will help you realise this, and also help others who thought they were alone in their thinking too.


Ultimately, I believe, one of the best things you can do is TALK. Whether it’s to a family member, friend, or stranger, sometimes a little conversation can go a long way. If you are struggling mentally at these times, and don’t want to talk to someone you know, the Samaritans are always around to chat about anything that is upsetting you. Alternatively, if you want to drop me a message, I’m always happy to listen.