The COVID-19 social media discourse is rapidly shifting from anxiety about contracting the virus, to anger and fear about lockdown’s impact on our economic survival.

At the start of lockdown, the majority of posts supported governments’ instruction to #stayathome and we saw regular retweets of the many emotive pleas from essential workers on the frontlines. In fact, there was public condemnation of what was then deemed far right, conspiracy theorist, doom and gloomers filling up news feeds.

Weeks in, with the dawning realisation that livelihoods are the next casualty of the coronavirus, people facing certain poverty - as opposed to uncertain risk of infection - are fast changing their tunes. In fact today, my first scan of social media highlights what appears to be a fundamental shift in public opinion in many of the countries most impacted by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns.

Posts from Spain seem to be warning others to reject being disempowered and controlled by governments through extended lockdowns. Here in South Africa, a growing body of citizens are saying they will not accept COVID-19 vaccinations and the country that applauded Ramaphosa for his decisive leadership, is now claiming that the government has made bad decisions. Many shout that lockdown will kill our country’s economy and bleed its people into poverty and beyond.

The reality is that it’s now more than a war on the virus, it’s also a war on the psyche of civilisation as we know it. For us mental health care professionals, we are left trying to juggle a situation that impacts not just our clients, but our own lives too. It’s never been more important to be able to balance holding psychological space for our clients, and ourselves, than it is now - ensuring objective professionalism at all times.

We know that to serve our clients well, we cannot let our own beliefs bias us. We know that we should guide our clients using ‘the best of the best’ scientific knowledge and methods to support them during the stresses of this global and personal uncertainty. We must give our clients space to explore and express their emotions, but, we also know we need to take care of ourselves and our own emotions properly if we are to be able to take care of clients wellbeing too.

The challenge is that this situation is unprecedented and the science is not very clear; in fact it seems to be becoming ever more grey. Finger pointing and vocalisations against larger research/ medical organisations were already the order of the day for conspiracy theorists pre the Covid-19 panic. Now, the global pandemic has provided an unparalleled platform for outrage, seeing the condemnation become even louder.

For mental health professionals, it is becoming harder to gracefully keep those balls we juggle, on behalf of our clients and ourselves, in the air. Our own learnt behaviours are challenged and every week seems to bring something new.

As a fellow juggler, I understand the responsibility of my colleagues keenly; we are working to help people facing a world in flux, achieve balance and perspective. It’s not easy. However, alongside this shift to an increasingly angry country, I have also observed our capacity to stand together, to learn and adapt. #Strongertogether is more than a campaign, it is an irrefutable truth.

I am proud to be part of a community of mental health care professionals who have pulled together to support, learn and share during the global crisis. As soon as it emerged that our country was facing real virus transmission risks, our mental health community stepped up to create platforms such as #COVIDCARERs offering free counseling services to frontline workers. Free or cost reduced webinars to share juggling skills and co-develop solutions have also become the order of the day.

I am proud of how we banded #together.

• Together, we created groups and internally offered one another support

• Together we continue to learn ways of supporting our clients digitally, and

• Together we took on the medical aid providers on behalf of our clients when they threatened confidentiality and fair payment prices - even though contracts are between client and medical scheme. And, together, we won.

Many of us are sole breadwinners and have experienced huge drops in income. Many of us are also trying to homeschool or look after small children. But yet, here we are, continuing to juggle as best as we can.

Today I offer a standing ovation to all of you, my colleague, my peers and my heroes. Well done for keeping those balls moving by learning, adapting, sharing and most of all, focusing on hope.... together.

The COVID-19 social media discourse is rapidly shifting from anxiety about contracting the virus, to anger and fear about lockdown’s impact on our economic survival.

At the start of lockdown, the majority of posts supported governments’ instruction to #stayathome and we saw regular retweets of the many emotive pleas from essential workers on the frontlines. In fact, there was public condemnation of what was then deemed far right, conspiracy theorist, doom and gloomers filling up news feeds.

Weeks in, with the dawning realisation that livelihoods are the next casualty of the coronavirus, people facing certain poverty - as opposed to uncertain risk of infection - are fast changing their tunes. In fact today, my first scan of social media highlights what appears to be a fundamental shift in public opinion in many of the countries most impacted by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns.

Posts from Spain seem to be warning others to reject being disempowered and controlled by governments through extended lockdowns. Here in South Africa, a growing body of citizens are saying they will not accept COVID-19 vaccinations and the country that applauded Ramaphosa for his decisive leadership, is now claiming that the government has made bad decisions. Many shout that lockdown will kill our country’s economy and bleed its people into poverty and beyond.

The reality is that it’s now more than a war on the virus, it’s also a war on the psyche of civilisation as we know it. For us mental health care professionals, we are left trying to juggle a situation that impacts not just our clients, but our own lives too. It’s never been more important to be able to balance holding psychological space for our clients, and ourselves, than it is now - ensuring objective professionalism at all times.

We know that to serve our clients well, we cannot let our own beliefs bias us. We know that we should guide our clients using ‘the best of the best’ scientific knowledge and methods to support them during the stresses of this global and personal uncertainty. We must give our clients space to explore and express their emotions, but, we also know we need to take care of ourselves and our own emotions properly if we are to be able to take care of clients wellbeing too.

The challenge is that this situation is unprecedented and the science is not very clear; in fact it seems to be becoming ever more grey. Finger pointing and vocalisations against larger research/ medical organisations were already the order of the day for conspiracy theorists pre the Covid-19 panic. Now, the global pandemic has provided an unparalleled platform for outrage, seeing the condemnation become even louder.

For mental health professionals, it is becoming harder to gracefully keep those balls we juggle, on behalf of our clients and ourselves, in the air. Our own learnt behaviours are challenged and every week seems to bring something new.

As a fellow juggler, I understand the responsibility of my colleagues keenly; we are working to help people facing a world in flux, achieve balance and perspective. It’s not easy. However, alongside this shift to an increasingly angry country, I have also observed our capacity to stand together, to learn and adapt. #Strongertogether is more than a campaign, it is an irrefutable truth.

I am proud to be part of a community of mental health care professionals who have pulled together to support, learn and share during the global crisis. As soon as it emerged that our country was facing real virus transmission risks, our mental health community stepped up to create platforms such as #COVIDCARERs offering free counseling services to frontline workers. Free or cost reduced webinars to share juggling skills and co-develop solutions have also become the order of the day.

I am proud of how we banded #together.

• Together, we created groups and internally offered one another support

• Together we continue to learn ways of supporting our clients digitally, and

• Together we took on the medical aid providers on behalf of our clients when they threatened confidentiality and fair payment prices - even though contracts are between client and medical scheme. And, together, we won.

Many of us are sole breadwinners and have experienced huge drops in income. Many of us are also trying to homeschool or look after small children. But yet, here we are, continuing to juggle as best as we can.

Today I offer a standing ovation to all of you, my colleague, my peers and my heroes. Well done for keeping those balls moving by learning, adapting, sharing and most of all, focusing on hope.... together.