“People are feeling isolated, under stimulated and anxious with everything happening in lockdown. You may be feeling all these things and more. But I would like to try and inject some hope into you today, even if it’s only a tiny amount, even if you don’t believe it.”
Luke Cutforth has released a video on his YouTube channel speaking about lockdown and the effects it can have on mental health. The video aims to be reassuring and soothing in an attempt to ease people’s worries, and features Luke calmly discussing the current environment we find ourselves in.
The video was filmed whilst Luke walks through a park in different scenic locations and speaking into the microphone on his phone. Nature is very prominent in the video, reminding us how soothing the outdoors can be at this difficult time. Luke begins with a disclaimer that he is not a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist.
Luke highlights that right now there is a lot to be anxious about. As we all know, lockdown is a stressful and uncertain time and a lot of people are feeling vulnerable and scared about what may come. This is a rational response, says Luke who suggests being attentive to your own needs and trying “to focus on you and how you feel inside, and I know that feels so selfish to some of you, but if you’re going to have a positive impact on the world you need to be okay”.
Luke sees lockdown as an opportunity for growth. He acknowledges that quarantine has disrupted the pattern of people’s lives and that when life was busier, people could mask how they were feeling with alcohol, partying, and with friends. Lockdown has brought some bad feelings to the surface and made people more aware of them. Luke talks about how these feelings can be the start of the ticket to getting out of how you feel and making sense of the world around you.
Luke thinks that this period is the perfect time to do something completely unproductive that does not achieve anything. His suggestions include “watch some crap telly, or read a book, or sleep, or sunbathe or play Animal Crossing.”
The video concludes with suggestions to further your healing, like taking a walk or meditating. The video is positive, and it is a reminder that it is okay to breathe and to feel alive even during a chaotic cultural moment. Its core message is to try and look at the world without the focus on the negatives that we might be programmed to pay attention to – especially during a time when it might feel like the feed of negatives is never-ending.
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