Coronavirus has plunged the world into uncertainty and the pandemic can be incredibly difficult for those living with not just pre-existing health conditions but also conditions like anxiety and OCD.
At MYH, we’ve built a service that is specifically tailored to helping young people through difficult times.
MYH receives no government or institutional funding and relies on the generous donations of our community to keep our service going. In times like these, we need our community now more than ever. This is why we’re launching an appeal to keep our services going and to allow us to be there for those struggling during this crisis. You can donate to our appeal here.
The effect of the pandemic on all our lives
Financial insecurity causes distress
Many freelancers, contractors, hospitality workers and those who run small businesses have already seen the negative financial effects of Coronavirus. Financial insecurity causes further distress and anxiety.
The current pandemic will put the UK on the brink of a recession and as a result, financial donations will soon start to decrease while mental health conditions worsen for those in our community.
The usual sources of comfort are gone
For some people, gatherings such as congregational prayers in a local mosque or joining others to break bread at iftar in Ramadan are the only form of social contact they have. Isolation and loneliness are some of the main issues we’ve been hearing on the helpline this week.
The community spirit you feel when you attend a prayer in the mosque, the warmth you feel at social gatherings in Ramadan, all of these are gone. While this is happening, more and more people are in distress, and reaching out to us.
People with existing conditions are at higher risk
For people with OCD and some types of anxiety, being constantly told to wash your hands can be difficult to hear. Health anxiety is peaking and is difficult to manage.
For those who are worried about the health of loved ones, knowing that their family and friends are in harms way is unsettling, upsetting and alarming. Our fight or flight responses to danger are in full swing, with anxiety rising every day.
Anyone with family in the NHS is worried about their safety, with doctors and nurses at breaking point, and working so hard around the clock in a system that is not set up to cope. While systems are not built to cope, people aren’t built to cope either.
At MYH we know all too well how Coronavirus is affecting individuals and organisations. As a result of the pandemic, we’ve had to cancel our Ramadan campaign plans. We are a very small charity and this is going to have significant financial effects that we will struggle to afford.
We’re at one of our busiest times ever
We can only expect that to increase as stress, anxiety and mental health conditions worsen for those worried about Coronavirus. Our Helpline is currently only able to answer a fraction of the queries we have coming in. Help us increase our capacity to make sure no call goes unanswered, especially in this time of need. Donate to our appeal today.
Every £10 you give will help provide reassurance and comfort to those in need. As we’ve seen in the last few weeks, any one of us could be in need of this support. It just takes a small twist in life to go from living well to struggling to survive.
In this unprecedented time, we desperately need long term support. Please consider setting up a monthly standing order so that we can stay open 365 days a year. Just £10 a month could help us answer an extra call from someone in need.
We’ll be updating our website with guidance on how to manage your mental health over the next few weeks. You can sign up to our newsletter here to keep up to date with our guidance and work.