Wellbeing Survey

Wellbeing survey 

Introduction 

We are living through extraordinary times, 2020 is a challenge for all of us and is affected us all in different ways. 

ABC Life Support recently conducted a survey to gauge how everyone is feeling. Thank you to everyone who completed the survey, the honesty and responses really laid bare how this year is impacting on all of us.

We really wanted to find out how the lockdown, restrictions, health implications, work issues and general worry had affected you. What struck us was the breadth of concerns people have. From the loss of jobs, loss of freedom, concern for family members, the sense of isolation and the pressure of money worries. All of these can affect your mental health and how you deal with each issue or problem. The impact of the pandemic cannot be underestimated nor can the long term implications on the wellbeing of each of us. We may feel ok at this very moment but how will this affect you further down the line?

Results

Back in June during the first lockdown we ran a similar survey, the first question was “how are you feeling today?”. 70% of responses faired as OK with 30% responding negatively. We asked the same question again in October and the response was quite different. 37% of people said they were feeling good, 24% of people responded negatively, 35% said they felt ok. 

 

This was a much more positive view than we expected however compared to the answers in June it shows a marked change. While nearly a quarter of responders replied negatively, on the whole we understood that people felt ok (results primarily from early October).

When asked, how have you found the last 6 months? (April – October) the responses were really mixed which truly reflects the different situations people find themselves in. The key words which struck a chord with us were:

“Overwhelmed, emotionally destructive, tough mentally, I should be more productive, draining.” 

“Thankful, I’m doing more for others, trying to stay positive, grateful.”

How has the reduced human contact affected you? 

78% of responders have missed seeing people and the tactile element of life.

This is an alarming statistic, over three quarters of those asked were struggling with the lack of physical contact of others. Whether it be a handshake, a hug or just being around other people. We are about to come out of another lockdown, its dark earlier and the weather has turned more wintery, this all compounds the feeling of removal. 

In our June survey, we asked if people had been affected directly or indirectly by mental health issues, of those who responded, 76.5% said they had. Building on this information, we asked if people had sought Mental Health advice this year, from our survey we found that 49% of those who responded had. Nearly half of those who had responded. This too is quite a stark fact. Is it that Mental Health is discussed more and people feel more comfortable discussing it? We have no doubt that the pandemic has raised awareness of mental health and ill health.  

The sources of the mental health advice were varied, online was a major source of information (60%) from websites link Mind along with the NHS. It was reassuring to see that people were talking to friends and seeking help from their colleagues and work sources too. Talking to someone whether that be a friend or through work is the best first step and it appears that that has been the first port of call for many (26%). It was good to know that people had access to advice as a first step. 

We asked what people were looking forward to and unsurprising Christmas was a key feature (32%) however interestingly, being around people (32%) was equally as important. 5% of responses felt they had nothing to look forward to, 8% were looking forward to businesses and work returning to normal, 15% were looking forward to the situation improving. 

Having something to look forward to is so important, with empty calendars, lack of contact, the prospect of a celebration is such a key marker for us all.

Conclusion 

The results of the survey showed a mixed response and whilst we understand that this is primarily based upon the individual set of conditions that a person is living under and therefore perspectives, we know that people have more of an awareness of mental health including the thoughts, feelings and emotions that mental ill-health brings. Acknowledging and recognising how one is feeling in terms of the challenges that the current climate poses is key in terms of processing and although the experiences have been negative for some, by having the conversations, we hope that people understand and appreciate that they are not alone and that support is available. 

If you feel you need to seek Mental Health advice, there are people there to help you.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Crisis Line 111 Option 2

Samaritans         116123

Calm (for men)         0800 585 855

Papyrus Hope line (for young people) 0800 068 4141 

                07786 209 697