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The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in dramatic changes in all our day-to-day lives.

Government measures aimed at controlling the spread of infection mean there are now severe restrictions on travel, leaving many feeling isolated and alone.

Many people who find the prospect of an invisible virus terrifying are facing significant distress. And economic difficulties mean a large proportion of the population are having to cope with all of this while juggling concerns about debt or job insecurity.

Mental health advocacy groups have warned people who are already managing complex mental health problems may be at greater risk as the pandemic unfolds over a lengthy period of time.

The Mental Health Foundation has said the mental health impact of the pandemic may last longer than the physical health impact.

(Image: Laura Moulding)

Laura Moulding is a third-year student at the University of South Wales studying commercial and popular music.

At 23 Laura said she has been dealing with severe depression with psychotic symptoms "ever since I can remember" but also experiences acute anxiety.

Lockdown measures mean Laura has been spending all of her time in the 10th floor flat she shares with her partner.

"I have had these experiences ever since I can remember to be honest," Laura said. "I hear voices but because I have always had it I thought it was normal and everybody had voices.

"I realised I was wrong but I kept silent about these for seven or eight years afterwards."

Laura said she struggles to get out of the house under normal circumstances but the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened her fear of the outside.

"I struggle to go out and about first of all because of my anxiety and depression makes it hard to get out of bed," she said.

"But once I am able to go out and about I keep building on that confidence but now I'm on the 10yh floor, and the windows have safety bars, so in the flat it can be quite restricting.

"I'm too afraid to out now because I feel like the anxiety and fear of going out has gotten worse."

Laura said she isn't able to make regular appointments at the moment because she is still registered at a GP surgery in Blaenau Gwent.

"At the moment, being in Cardiff, I can't go back necessarily to appointments and I can't get face to face support from my consultant psychiatrist," she said.

"Other than phone calls which are like five minutes there's not really much at the moment with regards to support."

Mair Elliott is a 23-year-old patient activist and recently became chair of mental health charity Hafal.

From the age of 14 she has experienced mental health problems which developed from anxiety and depression into symptoms of psychosis.

"The main difficulties for myself have been the sudden change in routine and the uncertainty as I'm sure others have also experienced," Mair said.

"I guess the difference being if you have mental illness then routine is very important to staying well.

"If that routine gets changed suddenly it is easy to find yourself balancing on the edge of the precipice that you've skilfully learnt to avoid."

Mair said she understands services have had to change in recent weeks but has found it difficult to access support.

"Services have, understandably, needed to change the way they conduct themselves," she said.

"It took a while for my usual healthcare team to get in touch so I went from seeing a health professional at least once a week to nothing for a while.

"I now have a phone call with a therapist once a week and can text my nurse. It's better than nothing but I don't feel supported really. If I was to go into to crisis I don't hold out much hope for having appropriate, life-saving care."

She added: "In terms of non-health support I have missed a lot of my activities which help me stay well.

"I usually volunteer one day a week at a charity called Sea Trust, who seek to research, conserve and educate people on local marine wildlife.

"This was something that really helped me but I cannot go anymore according to lockdown."

(Image: Jannat Ahmed)

Jannat Ahmed, from Cardiff, is editor-in-chief of independent magazine Lucent Dreaming and works part-time at poetry Wales.

Jannat, 24, said the coronavirus pandemic has triggered her anxiety in a number of ways in recent weeks.

"I'm one of those people who thinks about every possible thing that could go wrong," she said.

"Of course with this virus it was like the rug being pulled out from underneath me.

"When you see people vaping and you can taste what somebody is vaping for two or three metres away if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction.

"If they had the virus I could have caught that. Where you see that visible air circulation from someone to another person.

"For some people that might just be an annoyance but for me it was like: 'Do I have to pause? Do I have to hold my breath now?'"

Jannat said lockdown measures have also been causing her increased anxiety around work.

"The main thing is feeling unable to be as productive as I was before," she said.

"Having my peers around me to communicate with to get things done quickly.

"I think that adds a bit more anxiety in work because I'm worried about relaying the right information at the right time and being as clear as possible."

She added: "The safest thing for me to assume is that this will go on for a while because I would rather not get my hopes up in a way that things will get back normal.

"It's better for me to adjust to the worst-case scenario rather than have certain expectations about things going forward."

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Simon Jones, head of policy at Mind Cymru, said: "We know that coronavirus and its impact are causing stress and worry for lots of people and being told to stay indoors and avoid others can be a very daunting prospect.

"If you have a mental health problem this might be impacting how you’re coping with your day to day life.

"But there are lots of things people can try to help with their well-being during the outbreak."

Simon suggests the following methods to help maintain an individual's mental health:

• Establish a new routine for yourself, including being active and taking breaks if you are working. Planning how you are going to use your time will give structure to your day.

• Try breathing exercises or meditation if you are feeling particularly anxious.

• Eat well and stay hydrated: it’s important to also look after your physical health. Make sure you are eating regularly and drinking enough water.

• Try to keep active by building physical activity into your daily routine.

• Continue accessing treatment and support if possible. If you are receiving ongoing treatment for a physical or mental health problem and don’t feel you need to be seen face to face some GP services are available via online or telephone consultations.

• Keep taking medication. If you have a repeat prescription you might be able to order it by phone, online, or using an app. Check to see if you can download the free NHS app and search for your surgery.

• Keep the mind stimulated. Set aside time in your routine for this. Read books, magazines and articles. Listen to podcasts, watch films, and do puzzles.

Simon said: “Connecting with other people is another vital way of maintaining wellbeing so try to do that however you can. Make plans to have regular chats with friends and family over the phone or on Skype.

"You could explore whether there are any helplines that might be useful to you or any online friendship groups you can join.

"If you’re worried about a mental health problem and are seeking information and support you can call Mind’s Infoline 0300 123 3393 from 9am till 6pm Monday to Friday.

"Our website also has a lot of helpful information – you can find our support pages here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/”