Carol explains how lockdown has affected her mental health and changed her understanding of depression and anxiety
Carol told the Loose Women panel that lockdown has given her a much greater understanding of what people who deal with mental health issues go through.
Speaking to Andrea, Denise and Judi during a discussion about whether you have to experience trauma in order to really help others who are going through it, Carol said that she now finally understands what Denise means when she speaks about depression as an "unwelcome visitor."
"I've always been very sympathetic but I've never really understood how bad that can be and I’m getting very close to it now with this," she explained.
"I've never had to seek professional help for mental problems but I have to say now, during this lockdown, and during all the stress that’s going through everybody’s mind at the moment... I've never felt so close to seeking help in my whole life."
"I think I've escaped quite well so far, some days I must say I've got to the point where I'm thinking ‘I can't get out of bed today'," Carol added.
Denise and the panel discussed the importance of maintaining "positivity and hopefulness" to help those who might be finding lockdown particularly difficult. Watch the chat in the video above and catch the full discussion on the ITV Hub.
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised you can find more information about the supports available via our Lighten The Load campaign or mental health helplines.
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