Hello again Everyone, from London UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Hello again from London UK.

A reader, P R writes to say that “I am a strong-minded person, but am struggling with depression even though I have tried to stay upbeat throughout the pandemic. What the hell is happening to me...? I am ashamed to say I feel nervous, even scared much of the time, and it’s not the kind of person I am or want to be..."

Firstly, I am not doctor, so I urge this reader to make an appointment to see their GP and ask his or her advice asap.

Secondly, there are many men, woman and young people in much the same position, having to deal with such feelings as they may well never have encountered before with such intensity.

Never estimate the power of stress over mind-body-spirit; if left to fester, it can be crippling. likely to leave even the strongest and most upbeat among us feeling like putty in the hands of invisible forces bent on doing us harm. It’s called depression, and there is no shame in falling into the various, nasty emotional traps it has set humankind since its earliest beginnings.

Rarely has the modern world seen such devastating effects on its population as Covid-19 and its variants. Parents, whether trying to keep their children distracted from the full force of lockdowns or helping them with schooling and/or preparing for examinations that have taken a whole new shape during the pandemic, many schools and colleges forced to close.

Children and young people have been stressed out, unable to see their friends, deprived through no fault of their own of a social life and all the trimmings that we associate with being young, eager to explore and enjoy all the pleasures they would normally expect to be on offer.

Yes, Covid restrictions are being lifted for most age-groups here in the UK, especially those people who have had both Covid vaccinations, BUT the coronavirus hasn’t gone away and it remains a threat to many if not most of us; there is no room for complacency while cases continue to rise in certain places and communities. Yes, variants are said to be less serious than the original virus, but serious enough to hospitalise a significant number of people, if not to the extent we have seen worldwide at its various speaks.

Societies and communities worldwide have a collective responsibility to do their best to keep the pandemic on the run rather than encourage a repeat performance. Most people agree, yet there are still a significance number who refuse to wear a mask in busy areas or shops, on public transport etc. simply because it is “advisable” but no longer a legal obligation. Yes, some people are exempt from wearing a mask for medical reasons, but there are plenty who - from the start - have refused to wear a mask for no other reason than personal preference. I ask you, how selfish can some people, be?

Wearing a mask might not prevent a person from catching Covid-19, but it can – and still does – help prevent the spread of it.

I am not unsympathetic to reader P R, believe me. I share much the same feelings a lot of the time, but struggle to rise above them as best I can; an anti-depressant helps as does writing poetry; the latter not only distracts me, but sends my thought processes along far better routes than they might otherwise have been persuaded to take.

As I have said before on the blog, anyone for whom any form of creative therapy appeals to mind-body-spirit, especially if they find themselves struggling (for whatever reason) they would be well-advised to give it a go...

That’s all for now, folks and apologies if I seem to be repeating myself a lot these days. I’ll be back with a new poem soon.

Take care and let’s focus on nurturing a positive-thinking mindset... whatever everyday life throws at us, yeah? Yeah!

(Digital) Hugs,

Roger