Norfolk counsellor warns pandemic's still affecting people's mental health
Research has found that over a quarter of young people rank money worries as one of their main causes of stress
A counsellor from Norfolk is warning that the Covid pandemic is still having an effect on our collective mental health.
It's after research - released on World Mental Health Day - has found that over a quarter of young people rank money worries as one of their main causes of stress, with inflation continuing to remain high.
"Find somebody to talk to"
Ruth Noble works in Diss: "Change is a constant, things change all the time.
"The economy changes and so does the Cost of Living.
"Right now, it's going up and up. But it's unlikely to go up and up, for ever. Focus on the now, if you can...
"Do not sit in a room by yourself and think 'my life is falling apart. I'm not coping and I'm failing at this and I'm doing this, on my own'...
"Find somebody to talk to. Talk to a friend, your family, your parents - tell somebody.
"Anxiety we developed during that time is likely to still be affecting us"
"For some of us, the pandemic may feel like it was a while ago and we've over it. But it's still affecting us.
"The anxiety we developed during that time is likely to still be affecting us and we're working through any traumas we had."
She's told us what we should do, to help others who are struggling:
"Let them know that you are available to sit with them. You don't have to try and cheer them up either.
"To be with somebody in their pain, is such a powerful thing to do. Just to let people know that they are not alone."