WHAT a week!! One filled with headlines that can actually do your head in!
One minute you are rejoicing at the plunge in the R number (reproduction number) and infection rate, and the next, you are biting your nails with the warning that you should just finish up food in the fridge and not go out to get any more groceries as the silent killer, in the form of a new vicious variant, could be lurking anywhere.
It was barely a week since Captain Tom (Captain Sir Thomas Moore), who raised millions for health workers just by walking around his house, was sadly defeated by Covid-19.
It has been a week when I wrote about heartbreaking accounts of people succumbing to the killer disease, while still struggling with news from back home in Malaysia that close relatives had been taken in ambulances by men in hazmat suits. It was also a week ago when the government mulled over which countries to put in their red list, including hotel quarantine order for people arriving from hot spot countries, in another move to stop the virus from causing more chaos.
Am still praying that Malaysia will not make it to the list, as I anxiously wait for a loved one to come home. It has also been a week when it dawned on me that no amount of face mask-making would take my mind off the reality of what's happening out there.
I kept telling myself, perhaps as a form of self-denial, that since the lockdown was enforced in March last year, getting myself reconnected with an old skill would keep me sane.
But now I need more than churning out face masks to purge negative thoughts from my head. I guess I am lucky to be in a house full of people I can talk to, with a grandson and his endless antics to keep me amused. I also have online work to keep me occupied.
However, there were times, and increasingly so if I care to admit, that I found myself entertaining negative thoughts that I might not be able to see my beloved siblings again.
The lockdowns, thanks to the pandemic, are causing more damage mentally even if you manage to keep the virus at bay by wearing masks, washing your hands for 20 seconds and practising physical distancing.
But these alone do not give you protection against depression and anxiety that could surface anytime, especially when you are locked up alone, not allowed to meet others outside your bubble, and most importantly, if you think that by talking about it, you will be stigmatised for life as a mental health case.
My thoughts then turned to students, especially those who just started their term and had returned to their campuses, expecting to meet their friends and start a normal university life. It was not to be. Students, hundreds and thousands of miles away from their parents, have to study online with lessons with their lecturers only once in a while.
Although they are allowed to go out, the usual prolonged lepak sessions are not allowed. They miss socialising. For those living with their family, they miss being with people their own age. For those renting, the added problem is keeping up with the rent.
Before the lockdown, students were allowed to work a certain number of hours to earn extra pocket money. Now, no more. Then there is the worry of the quality of education they are getting during this period, which would certainly affect their career and their future. It is a whole load of worries for young people to shoulder.
But help is at hand. Feeling unsettled, stressed, anxious or uneasy during this difficult time is a "normal" reaction while we adjust to the new situation.
However, there are many things that can help people manage these feelings. Keeping in touch with friends and families will certainly help. But if that is not possible, there are helplines and befriending services that can offer support.
Recently, Mercy Malaysia United Kingdom (MMUK) launched a helpline, Talian Kasih MERCY, to reach out to students who need a shoulder to lean on or a sympathetic ear to listen to their problems.
With a team of professionals and trained volunteers, they have opened their helpline, which offers confidential, anonymous and non-judgmental service in collaboration with the Malaysian High Commission, Education Ministry, Public Service Department, Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Health and Wellbeing IKRAM UKE, as well as the United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC).
According to MMUK chairperson Haliza Hashim, there will be a series of talks and workshops for students, including a MERCY sharing session, such as "Facing Depression and Anxiety as a Student", next week.
On Saturday, I listened to a session conducted by MMUK volunteer Rowena Razak, in a session called Time to Talk.
It stressed on the importance of talking about mental issues and putting an end to discrimination against mental health. She encourages people to reach out to their friends, in the event of not being able to be there physically.
There are many things a person can do to help his or her friend out of his or her doldrums. The power of small conversations cannot be trivialised as it can make huge differences.
To the recipient, a small chat can lift a heavy boulder and help him or her clear the mind. It can help to re-empower him or her and motivate them to look to the future, rather then be stuck in the dark pit of his or her mind.
In that dark pit of mind,there is a voice that usually plays games with you. It is dangerous to entertain this voice, because it may lead you to a place you really do not want to be.
Therefore, it is important to know that there are people out there who care and will listen and talk to you. They might not be able to offer a solution, but they remind you that you are not alone.