Do you believe going into yet another LOCKDOWN will have a detrimental affect on your/our MENTAL HEALTH ....? or are you more prepared for it now ....? How do you guys feel about the thought of going into another LOCKDOWN ....?

Also, how much do you believe our beloved dog/dogs played a part in easing our STRESS levels back in the first LOCKDOWN ....?

Honestly, right now my life isn’t so much different to when lockdown first started, except now I can meet my friend for dog walks and do classes with River.

Apart from on dog walks I rarely see anyone and if I do I keep at least 2m away. Rarely go in shops now, I send my partner to the supermarket and order pretty much everything else online.

My favourite non-dog hobby is board gaming, and I can’t do that even in a small group because of the shared pieces that everyone touches. I keep myself busy making things with resin or paracord, crocheting, and genealogy.

I miss dog shows, not the showing itself, but socialising with other papillon people and admiring all the dogs.

I have to admit that life has been much better since various dog classes have started up, I would be very bored without them. We train a lot at home but I need input and demonstrations from an agility teacher as it’s completely new to me.

While lockdown isn’t much fun I think it’s a good idea if it saves lives.

I am prone to clinical depression, and I did struggle to cope with lockdown at first, but River helped a lot. He’s always there for a cuddle, he gives me a reason to go for walks, and he loves working and training with so much he just cheers me up that little bit. It’s so satisfying to see him progressing and learning new skills.

I will reply because I'm probably the exception. I do miss the dog shows but that is all. I would like another lockdown. I have agoraphobia and several other mh problems and for years have been terrified to leave the house and can't do it alone ever, so when everybody had to stay at home I felt more relaxed as it was then the right thing to do. No visitors, no need to feel bad about staying at home! The bad thing was that people staying at home would walk a lot more and for a while our quiet dead end country lane felt like Piccadilly Circus.

Just before lockdown in March I found out that I had cancer, a rare soft tissue sarcoma. My main fears were that my treatment would be cancelled or I would be in contact with covid when I went for radiotherapy. Thankfully it wasn’t and after 5 weeks or daily RT and an operation to remove the tumour in June I’m currently cancer free.
Lockdown suited me. Groceries were delivered and I didn’t come in contact with anyone apart from my husband of course and hospital staff, I felt safe.
The only thing I was saddened about was not meeting up with friends over a pub lunch and being able to go and stay at our static.
Currently we are staying in the static, hopefully for a bit longer, and have been out to a few pub gardens for a meal with friends. If that all comes to a halt and lockdown happens again I won’t be that upset or have my mental health damaged, it’s such a small thing not to be able to go for a awhile when I was faced with cancer only a few months ago.
Staying at home for is not the end of the world, however the alternative could easily be.

I am extremely stressed that I do not think enough is being done to suppress the virus by increasing restrictions. 

My husband is in hospital having spent 4 days on a ventilator with pneumonia from diabetes complication and I am terrified with case numbers rising he will catch covid while in hospital as numbers of people being admited to hospital with covid is increasing daily.

here in Birmingham a sizeable proportion of population are determined not to wear masks, insist on mixing more then necessary and are treating whole thing as a hoax.  I am beside myself with fear that some of these idiots will be admited to the hospital my husband is  in and give it to him. He is very very ill and he came close to dying last week- if he catches covid then he is dead.

I know the staff are trying their best to keep the hospital safe but it only takes one slip up and I will lose him.

edit- the first word my husband said when they brought him out of the coma was our dogs name :) his love for her I am sure has helped him

Totally understand  where u are coming from weimed
Thinking of u and hope your husband will soon be home and well and your  strrss is slightly reduced .anxiety is horrible  to suffer

I'm making the most of the fact that I'm not going to have unexpected visitors when I haven't vacuumed up the dog hair or cleaned away the dust bunnies

Wouldn't make much difference to me either.
Although I have to admit I hope I don't see the serial dog walkers again.

There’s an upside to a lot of things, but that’s the best one yet epmp

I suppose, given our life isn't that exciting these days, actually being in lockdown hasn't caused us much stress really.   My 'stress' was down to how my Basset boy had to leave this world.   THAT was mega stress .   And then there's the current cost of puppies (and adults!).

> the first word my husband said when they brought him out of the coma was our dogs name :) his love for her I am sure has helped him

So sorry to read about this - but it took me back to my husband's first word when brought out of the induced coma after a major bleed stroke and that had nothing to do with our then 3 hounds - he clearly said Adnams (beer)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sending you and your husband good thoughts.

Not made a huge difference although I did miss eating out.  On the positive, I have taken up the flute and loving it, the dog doesn't seem to mind my bum notes either.

Lockdown was exactly what I needed when it hit in march, because I was on the verge of burnout with work.  Beyond stressed, exhausted, in constant pain with my foot from all the walking.  The first two weeks I did next to nothing - just sat and watched Netflix.  Then I had weeks of sorting out the garden, which desperately needed doing, and which I struggle to do when I'm working because my energy and strength goes into that.

This time around I'd love the time off again, but the financial side is getting harder.  At least before I had the boost of the SEIS grant, and although that has been extended, the amount is much less this time.  I've never earned enough as it is, so to now be offered 20% of not enough (which I can't access until November anyway) is painful.  It'll work out at about £416 to cover a 3 month period.  Universal Credit will help a tiny bit, but not that much, because it wouldn't be paid until the 3rd of the month.  So if we get another lockdown timed to happen around the October half term as has been mentioned, I'd have a period of time of no earnings, no savings and no backup, until that payment came through and work restarted.  My dad has helped me an awful lot on that front but of course he can only do so much, and the more he helps, the more that impacts on my mental health; I'm 38 on wednesday and I hate that I still have to ask him for help at times.

I guess lockdown have been o.k. for some of us, yet extremely stressful for others on here (an extremely worrying time).

Hope all goes well for everyone in future lockdowns, I think this forum can be good for our mental health especially if we need to get things off our chest.

Stay safe 'everyone' and take care.

I for one, have lately not found the forum to be good for my mental health- on the contrary I have found the unpleasantness stressful and strangely  disappointing- “scary” as Mama Bas said recently.
- a bit like going into your favourite pub for a quiet drink only to discover a punk band Setting in the corner

> a bit like going into your favourite pub for a quiet drink only to discover a punk band Setting in the corner

I know exactly what you mean Garbo, I’ve had a few days recently where I’ve been so cross I’ve had to tell myself to keep away for a while, and I’m not one to anger easily.

I know we have some big characters and blunt speakers and there have always been disagreements and heated discussions, but it seems to have been so much worse recently.

And the worst thing is that we’ve lost at least one talented singer because of the punk band’s nonsense. There are still so many lovely people here to chat to but one the shouty music starts up again it’s pretty hard to have a reasonable conversation.

Going back to my husband's lengthy stay in hospital (Addenbrooke's) after his stroke - at one point I decided to take 2 of our then 5 hounds in to see him (with permission).  He hardly took any notice of them, leaving me thinking 'that went well - not'!  In his defence, I think he was more interested in GETTING HOME and being with them there, than having them come to the hospital.

"a bit like going into your favourite pub for a quiet drink only to discover a punk band Setting in the corner"

Sounds like I have been missing all the fun

On a serious note, I believe its healthy for all of us on here to disagree from time to time, but as long as its done in a 'respectful' manner then this is what keeps our forum interesting I guess.

I had a lot of friends who were PUNKS back in the 70s it made me smile when I read your punk band comment, brings back memories

My brother’s in a punk band and as much as I love him and recognise his talent, I’m old enough now that I’d prefer they turn the volume down.