Mental health organisations in Perth and Kinross say they have seen a rise in the number of people reaching out for help amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Linda Fisken, who runs Linda’s Ladies reached out on social media, offering support to women who need a hand.
She said: “I was flabbergasted with the response and I would say that the WhatsApp group has probably doubled in size since the post.
“I have sent messages to all of the ladies who have said that they are struggling and invited them into the group to vent and/or share what’s troubling them and how they are managing to cope with the virus and everyday life.
“There are an awful lot of ladies who were struggling before the virus and so things are now a lot worse for them with having to be in isolation.”
Linda said one positive to emerge from the crisis was the number of people supporting each other.
She added: “There’s a real sense of community with this coronavirus and people are genuinely reaching out to those who are vulnerable.”
Lighthouse for Perth, which helps people experiencing any kind of emotional distress, has also noticed an upsurge in demand.
Manager Sharon Thomas said: “There are definitely more people reaching out for help.
“Anxiety and feelings of being unable to control the situation are really beginning to increase amongst the community.”
She believes the pandemic will have long-lasting effects.
She said: “I think part of the legacy of the coronavirus will be a community with increased instances of people suffering from anxiety, depression, long-lasting sadness and a feeling of helplessness.
“If we do not put in the resources immediately then this has the potential to affect our community for a long time to come.”
