If life in lockdown has shown us one thing it’s that when the going gets tough we have an inbuilt ability to cope – we’re resilient.
FOR YOU?
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BY DIANE COOKE
HOW WAS IT
veryone has a story to tell about coping during the spring lockdown. Some are happy to spend time in isolation, others have felt desperately lonely. Most of us learned something about ourselves.
presenter told Heat magazine: “I was tired and so busy all the time. Then, all of a sudden, my world stopped. I couldn’t use work as a form of escapism, so I had to sit and think and analyse what was going on in my world.”
It’s not just us – TV presenter Gok Wan had a “really, really tough time” during lockdown. So, too, did former Labour Party communications director Alastair Campbell.
Alastair Campbell suffered one of his darkest episodes during the last few weeks of lockdown. He told a BBC documentary: “I have had a lot of suicidal ideation... when you are like that, you don’t think there is light at the end of the tunnel. You only feel the light at the end of the tunnel when it begins to lift.”
Gok struggled isolating alone with just his dog Dolly. The ‘Say Yes to the Dress Lancashire’ Alastair Campbell
Both took positives from the experience. Gok overcame his personal hang-up of not being intelligent enough by watching documentaries and reading. He also started cooking and delivering food to neighbours. And he realised being single wasn’t at all bad.
“Before lockdown, I would probably have spent the whole time saying, ‘Arrrrghhh! Why am I still single?’ But I haven’t got any of that stuff going on now, I’m just really grateful I can see my mates.”
I hated having my liberty taken away from me. For Alastair Campbell, exercise, eating well, sleeping well and keeping his family close all helped during the dark times. Interviewing other people about depression also opened his eyes to how many people are battling similar issues. “That showed me that at least I am not on my own with this – and that helps.” If life in lockdown has shown us one thing it’s that when the going gets tough we have an inbuilt ability to cope – we’re resilient. Can we grow from this? (see page 24)
WHAT IS RESILIENCE?
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Resilience is defined by psychologists as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress.
