Mental Health in Lockdown Some preliminaries Mental Health

Mental Health in Lockdown

Some preliminaries Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • The new wave

Spectrum of distress Mental Health in (eased) lockdown Severe Distress Mild

Where’s the divide? Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • A legitimate concern

Where is this coming from? Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Disruption • Acceleration • Intensification • Exhaustion

1. Listen harder Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Zoom ‘declarations’ • Don’t assume – ask • Very different lockdown experiences

2. Listen between the lines Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Missing the ‘on the edge’ conversations • Create alternatives; recruit others • Small gp leaders • Colleagues / fellow elders • Pastorally minded church members

3. Listen for trouble Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Marriages in trouble • Pandemic both a disruptor and an accelerator • Think domestic abuse • Think child abuse

3. Listen for trouble Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • ‘Should I be worried about you? ’ • ‘Ever had a reason to feel frightened in your relationship? ’ • ‘What’s the worst that has happened? ’ • Be careful in communication

4. Listen for anxiety Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Health fears • OCD • Antidotes to anxiety from Luke 12

Luke 12 Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • In groups, glance over Luke 12: 1 -34 and decide how you might use this passage to speak (or preach) into the experience of anxiety. (5 mins)

Luke 12 Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Don’t be functional orphans Your father knows you need them (v 30) • Recognise your inability Since you cannot do this very little thing (v 26) • Worry about some bigger problems! You fool. . . This is how it will be with whoever is not. . . rich towards God (v 20 -1) • Fear God first Fear him who has authority to throw you into hell (v 5)

5. Listen for growth and decline Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Significant situational change is never neutral • Doing spiritual life without the structure of the church’s communal life will have caused some to thrive and others to wilt • How will you find out who’s done which?

6. Listen to yourself Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Time off • The summer break • Autumn planning • Heroism, servanthood and wisdom get muddled sometimes

6. Listen to yourself Mental Health in (eased) lockdown • Where is your anxiety? • Where is your trouble? • What’s written between your lines? • Who are you talking to?

Enough listening. . . • When do we get to speak? • After we have listened • All scripture is intentional