Just seen a bit on Sky about the impact of closing football grounds on the mental health of some people for whom football is their only social outlet. Talked to people connected with a Sunderland club for men struggling with loneliness, social anxiety. Obviously women are fans as well, but I would guess most have support groups of friends and family. Can be very different for some men. Hidden victims of Covid
I agree, upto a point. The real issue is 'football is their only social outlet'. If the societal structures are such that there is a significant cohort of men who have no other satisfying social connections other than football, then something was clearly amiss before covid.
Nice one. I am waiting with bated breath for my wife’s appointment to get her started on the immunity trail. I know from my contact that parts of Southampton were moving onto the 70+ year olds and the most vulnerable from Monday just gone, but her area is mainly east of Southampton and we’re west. Not all areas are moving at the same pace but fingers crossed we will hear sooner rather than later.
Some people may not be able to meet or make friends because of their nature and mental condition. And marriage break ups can leave some men isolated. Outside of work, I can easily understand that football may feature large in their lives. Covid has brought it to the fore.
I must admit, I’m normally mr positive and used to being and working from home. This lockdown has brought me down quite a bit. Need the spring I think to come.
Two things have kept me sane: 1. cycling. I’ve cycled 5000 miles from Lockdown 1 to the end of 2020 and I still get out in the cold and rain now. Snow and ice is a no go though. It’s helped me mentally a lot, as I’ve struggled and had a couple of wobbles. 2. The family. Apart from sept to December when my daughter got to go to London’s for dance and musical theatre, it’s been the four of us here together (my son at work during the day) and that has been great to be able to be around the family so much. I really appreciate that and read and see how difficult it can be for those that can’t.
Weather definitely a big factor this time round. You work throughout the day and not see much daylight which makes you more miserable. January normally a time for feeling down anyway so this just exaggerates it. Only 6 weeks til weather starts warning up a bit though
Fat man, when did you get in to cycling. I think we are the same age, circa 1970. I did several years ago for health and did Jogle in 2018, my most fantastic achievement of my life. At times, you can still be in dark places, but get on your bike you feel so much better. A ride in the future one day to to celebrate the title!
Now let me just have a moment to see what I can do to tweak your forum name.... Mmm no, I won’t!! in 2018, an old colleague of mine died of a heart attack- he was 5 years older than me. Scared the sh1t out of me, so I grabbed the old banger of a push bike out the garage and started cycling to the next village and back (6 miles). I hadn’t been able to run for years because of my knees and I’d dipped in to old men football a few times, but it was not really excercise. I used to write my time on a route and calculate the distance looking at a map (no accuracy) in a little note book and try to increase my distances by adding a mile or two on. A friend. Who was a cyclist came with me and started to push me to 12 miles then 15.... and my wife bought me a garmin watch one birthday. That was it. A digital review of what I was doing and I’m a competitive little bugger and no more competitive than with anyone but myself. I was doing routes up to 30 miles on this old banger that weighed the same as a bus. Everyone said I needed a proper road bike. I agreed with the wife that if I kept cycling all through that winter, I would buy a starter road bike. The following March (2019), I bought a decathlon bike as I didn’t want to go mad. A good starter bike but soon realised I was becoming addicted and should have gone a bit higher in quality (although that was the best bike for £500). Lockdown happened and I hit the bike harder than ever. now I “have” to get on the bike for my own sanity. I started all this just to get the heart and lungs pumping but have now seen the other benefits. Mental health and weight loss. Bought a better level of bike end of the summer in a sale I’m now only half crazy and lost 2 Stone last year.
So my housemate tested positive on Friday, he has been going into work as his company won’t set them up to work from home. There has been loads of positive tests in his office dating back over a week but his company didn’t do anything to shut the office down and only told them about the positive tests 6 days after the first person tested positive, so they’ve all been going in and now I think over half have tested positive. He’s obviously not happy. He’s been self isolating in his room since he took the test (Thursday morning) but reckons he’s has minor symptoms since last Saturday (a very slight cough). Myself and my other housemates took a test Friday morning and were expecting the worst but all have come back negative which is good news, not out of the woods yet as obviously he still has it so chance we could pick it up over the next week or so but into isolation we all go, brilliant
Lighter mornings and evenings help. Tough keeping the miles up during winter as can only pinch 45-90 minutes around work during the day in the week. Snowed yesterday so couldn’t get out. Clear today, so I’ll be heading out later, although it will be 2 degrees
I have some daffodils, grape hyacinths and primroses out in my garden at the moment....Spring just round the corner now. Keep safe and happy.
Good stuff, Fats. I have to admit that I’m beginning to struggle, what with just myself for company and the only contact with the outside being via forums, zoom and the occasional call with the kids. I’ll be very glad when the spring comes as I’ve been trying to get out for a walk regularly, but the month or so I’ve virtually given up on it. I’ve been having my bathroom done for the last couple of weeks and having someone else in the house has, at least, been someone to occasionally chat to. Vin popped round last week to do the windows, it was good to talk with a like-minded soul! I decided last week that I’d splash out on a new camera and get out to take some pics. That arrived yesterday, so I’m hoping to get out later and play with it. At least it’ll take my mind off things for a bit! Mind you, not being very technical, it’s a right struggle understanding the connections to ‘a smart device” etc. That bit, alone, will probably take most of today ......
