Coping with loneliness during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Many of us feel lonely from time to time and these short-term feelings shouldn’t harm our mental health. However, the longer the pandemic goes on for, the more these feelings become long-term.
Long-term loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and increased stress. The impact of long-term loneliness on mental health can be very hard to manage.
If you're feeling lonely at the moment particularly if you are shielding and staying at home, the NHS Every Mind Matters website has some useful tips that can help you.
The Marmalade Trust have a whole website dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and sharing resources and blogs. Each year they host Loneliness Awareness Week, this year's campaign takes place from 15th-19th June 2020.
Support for older people
Age UK North Yorkshire & Darlington Good Friends Telephone Befriending Service will match volunteers with older people who can then keep in touch regularly by phone or by letter, allowing older people to feel that there is someone who cares for them and that they can rely on during the Coronavirus crisis.
https://www.ageuknyd.org.uk/our-services/good-friends-telephone-befriending/
0300 30 20 100
The Silver Line offer the only free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/
0800 4 70 80 90
Re - engage Call companions offer a service where a volunteer call companion calls the same older person between two and four times a month at a mutually agreed time for an informal chat. Calls will last for around 30 minutes. Mainly for those aged over 75 but applications are considered on an individual basis.
https://www.reengage.org.uk/latest-news/call-companions-keep-communities-connected/
0800 716543
Support for young people
Darlington Mind offer a children & young peoples helpline between 1.30 - 4.30pm weekdays.
https://www.darlingtonmind.com/
07432 843161
Childline you can contact childline about anything, whatever your worry.
0800 1111
The Mix offer essential support for under 25's
0808 808 4994
British Wireless for the Blind Fund
Living with sight loss can be lonely and isolating, causing many to revert into themselves only making this issue worse. The British Wireless for the Blind Fund aims to ease these feelings by providing the joy of sound along with the companionship of radio.
01622 754757
