"It's okay to be vulnerable": How one Mum dealt with loneliness during lockdown
'Lockdown Changed My Life' is an ITV Calendar series where we invite people to share their experiences of the coronavirus pandemic.
A mother-of-two from Sheffield says her life totally changed when Britain went into lockdown six months ago to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Overnight, Sahira Irshad found herself feeling completely alone and isolated as lockdown measures came into place in March.
The closure of mosques and strict restrictions on socialising led to a drastically different Ramadan and Eid for Sahira and her two children.
Sahira says she found it "very difficult trying to grasp the enormity of the situation" and has struggled with loneliness over the last six months.
"It has been isolating as I am the only adult in the house. I love my children to pieces, but I've missed adult company and it does affect your wellbeing, so it's been difficult, it's been really really hard," Sahira told ITV News.
She added: "It also was a challenge because it happened during Ramadan, which for Muslim is one of the holiest months of the year.
"It's where you fast for thirty days. It's a month where we get together as family and friends. That's a busy month. Normally the rooms will be filled with family, people shouting and fighting over food, brothers moaning about being hungry.
"But this year was really really challenging because I was on my own. The kids have gone to bed so I opened my fast on my own."
Sahira says she discovered a lot about herself and her mental health during lockdown.
"It has taught me about myself, that it's okay not to be okay. It's okay to cry and it's okay to ask for help, which I don't do.
"I'm usually the strong one for everyone else. It's okay to be vulnerable. So I'm going to learn it's okay to not be okay."
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