Covid-19 information for young people

These are truly extra-ordinary times where information and issues are changing extremely rapidly. It is not surprising that each day can feel totally different to the next and this is unsettling. What’s happening in the world right now can feel daunting, unable to make plans even for the immediate future – it’s very normal to feel anxious and unsure about things. Maybe your exams have been cancelled, or your first year at university has come to a sudden halt, or school has been closed for the foreseeable future? Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, unproductive, anxious or hopeless, your feelings are justified – you are not alone in feeling this way.

If you are feeling very overwhelmed and are struggling to function normally, there is help available. Please contact us – we are still here to help. Calls may take a little longer to answer on our switchboard, but we will endeavour to manage and direct your call to the most appropriate person to help with your medical query/need. Call us on 020 8473 1581.

Please be reassured that contact and discussions with any of our staff is treated with confidence, as will the opportunity to speak or consult with one of our clinical staff. Please read more about how we maintain confidentiality on our main page.

With the increased role of technology in all we do now, it is very important that we have a current mobile and e-mail address for you, so that, with your permission, we can text or contact you directly.  We may have an old contact or a parent’s mobile number attached to your records so to update your details would help us ensure we can keep in contact with you appropriately and directly when you need advice or support.
Could you e-mail us at lamccg.thewellcentre@nhs.net with your current contact details and giving your consent (permission) for us to be able to contact you by this means if you are happy for us to do so. Our staff will then update your records.

Absolutely – yes please.  Whether you have been a carer of others in your family for a while or just recently because of COVID-19 please contact the surgery so we can make a note of this. If you are struggling or having difficulties with your caring responsibilities or if you have any questions, we would be happy to try and help.

Sometimes feeling stressed or anxious can be related to seeing lots of media coverage and new stories about the impact of COVID-19. At the moment, there is a lot of coverage from all media and although it is important to stay informed, consider taking a break from social media if you feel things are getting on top of you.
However some days, social media might be your only source of news and information. While some of what you read is trustworthy, a lot of it isn’t, and it’s put out there to scare and confuse you.  Consuming so much of this information at once can make you feel more anxious and it’s important to know when to give yourself a break from it. Social media can also be fantastic, try to use it for positive and upbeat interactions with friends and family.

Only take advice from trusted government and health service websites such as GOV.uk or nhs.uk. These have all the latest facts and figures to give consistent advice on how to prevent spreading, catching it and what to do if you think you have coronavirus.

Despite the loss of normal routine and activities, try to develop and implement a new routine that provides a balance of several different activities and interactions with others. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour, which can make you feel worse.

Simple things you can do to stay mentally and physically active during this time include:

• Wake up relatively early – (annoying but it does help). Lying in bed until early afternoon will drain your energy levels and crush productivity. Set a nice alarm to wake up to and allow yourself more time to get ready and start the day properly.
• Stay connected to your friends and family via skype, email, video-calling and telephone / texting. Don’t rely just on texting though, as an audio-visual catch up is much more rewarding.
• Social media can be an excellent way to keep in touch with your friends and family. However, you should be mindful of your use of social media. Use it to promote positive interactions, and put your device away if it starts to negatively affect your mood. Many smartphones allow you to set time limits for certain apps such as Instagram.
• It is important to maintain, where possible, some sort of daily routine. You should vary what you put into your routine to keep things different and interesting but try and include key elements consistently.
• Make a to-do list (or schedule / rota) with reasonable and specific things included. Finalise your schedule / rota the night before so you are ready and prepared for the day ahead. Include spending time doing things you enjoy as well as things you need to do:
  • Time to eat (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
  • Time to network chat and socialise, social media / gaming (IT based)
  • Time to do work, study, homework, coursework, learn, research
  • Time for exercise
  • Time for relaxing, personal downtime (non IT based)
  • Time to spend with family
  • Time to spend doing something fun / different / activity based
• Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water, and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs
• If needing to socially isolate, spend time with the windows open to let in fresh air, arranging space to sit with a nice view if possible and get some natural sunlight. Get out into the garden or sit on your doorstep if you can, keeping a distance of at least 2 metres from others.
• If you don’t need to isolate, you should try and get out of the house to do your daily exercise (walk, jog, run or bike-ride), keeping your social distance to at least 2 metres when outside.
• Look to introduce fun activities for you and the family
  • Themed meals
  • Special movie / Netflix nights
  • Quizzes and competitions
  • Kitchen dancing / Karaoke
  • Skype/FT friends other family to involve them too
• Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for feeling emotionally healthy the next day. We all feel better after a good night’s sleep.

Here are some websites, apps and resources focused on helping you navigate through these uncertain times as well as supporting your emotional and physical well-being.