Rosie Taylor is coming to the end of her 3rd year as a
Biology undergraduate. She is the outgoing LGBT+ Officer with the Student
Association, and a founding member of WellComm, the award-winning wellbeing and
community organisation for STEM subjects at the University of Edinburgh. Rosie
gave interviews in our previous Let’s Talk podcast series on Mental Health. In
this episode during lockdown, Rosie talks about family estrangement in times of
emergency, how overwhelming it can be to have all this time to think about how
you are feeling, and wondering what a ‘return to normal’ means when you are
questioning ‘What is my “normal”, what was my “before”?’. Rosie also describes
how lockdown and online learning exacerbates aspects of OCD for her, and how
she wants to feel safe but also to be open to things that she enjoys. And she
revisits the subject of social media: the pressure of feeling always available;
the messaging about the virus, or weight control in lockdown, and the push for productivity,
which detracts from the time needed to be with ourselves and to heal ourselves;
but also the possibility of watching Netflix online together and of contacting
old friend
For Coronavirus updates and advice, and FAQs please see the University
webpages here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/covid-19
The Chaplaincy blogs ‘For Times Like These’ https://www.ed.ac.uk/chaplaincy/for-times-like-these are written
specifically for mental health and wellbeing support during lockdown, as are
these mindfulness virtual
drop-ins: https://www.ed.ac.uk/chaplaincy/mindfulness-and-wellbeing/mindfulness-virtual-drop-ins
For University support
The University Listening Service (for students and staff) is continuing
throughout the lockdown,
[email protected]
Student Counselling Service, https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-counselling
Staff Counselling Service, https://www.ed.ac.uk/counselling-services/staff
If any of the issues in this broadcast have affected you and you’d like
support, here are some helplines.
If you feel that you or someone you are with is in danger right now,
please call 999
A 24/ hour emergency mental health service, Mental health assessment
service on 0131
537 6000.
· Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87
· The Samaritans 08457 90 90 90
· Edinburgh Crisis Centre 0808 801 0414