I was always a very outgoing person. I would go to social groups three times a week. And on my free days, I would visit family and friends. I was really enjoying what I was doing. I didn’t think twice, that things would change.

Then came the lockdown. And everything changed. I had to adapt to staying at home more. And that wasn’t easy for me. I did struggle the first few days. I would just go to shops, focus on keeping social distance, and avoid people. It didn’t occur to me to have a conversation. I would just get served and go home. As days passed, I started to notice that I was becoming depressed. It got me thinking, why not make a conversation, when I went to the shops? So the next time I went, I did, and it did make a difference. So I kept it up. Having long conversations at home with my son has helped too. It goes to show: small changes can make a big difference.

Cooking healthy meals has helped too, allowing me to maintain my weight. Also cleaning and dusting – to stop me getting bored. I phone family and friends, and ask how they are coping. And I have a routine, always waking up and going to bed at a similar time. If we have another lock down, I will remember to use all these methods to manage a lot better. Routine. Conversations. Phoning. Texting. Cooking. Cleaning.