Sharon Grinter is an essential worker and single mum who has struggled with her mind health throughout the pandemic. She believes sharing her story would benefit others and help to normalise the need to talk about topics like depression.
"Why me?"
This is one question Sharon Grinter has often asked herself in the past two years.
The single mum and Pak'nSave merchandiser is sharing her story as part of Great Minds, a major NZME project, exploring the growing impact of mental health and anxiety on Kiwis and how wecan improve our wellbeing, launched yesterday.
As well as investigative reporting on the state of our mental health services and the effect of the pandemic on New Zealanders of all walks of life, we will share personal stories, interactive features and wellbeing ideas to help our readers as we emerge from Covid and Omicron.
The project comes as new research shows the number of New Zealanders struggling with mental health problems rose sharply during the Covid-19 outbreak, prompting calls from leading health figures for an urgent national recovery plan.
Polling for the Mental Health Foundation found 36 per cent of people surveyed were experiencing poor emotional wellbeing, up from 27 per cent a year ago.
Single mum and essential worker Sharon Grinter hopes her story will encourage others to seek the help they need. Photo / Andrew Warner
Sharon Grinter was struggling with depression before the Covid-19 pandemic reached New Zealand.
At her lowest, Grinter had contemplated taking her own life.
"It was a bad day at work. I was a single parent. I had saved the money to take my kids overseas and it was like the carpet was pulled out from underneath me."
While Grinter's travel costs were later reimbursed, she said she would never get back the hours she had worked to make the trip possible.
"It was all downhill from there."
Worries about her children and parents were constantly crowding the back of her mind.
"My daughter had to come back from the navy. My dad had had quadruple bypass surgery," Grinter said tearfully.
"My family means a lot to me. I couldn't live without them."
"It can be easy as asking, 'How are you'? You don't have to say anything else."
These days, when the question, "Why me?" comes to Grinter's mind, her answer is:
"Well at least if it's bothering me, it isn't bothering anyone else."
Victoria University Wellington School of Psychology clinical practice manager Dr Dougal Sutherland. Photo / Supplied
Victoria University Wellington School of Psychology clinical practice manager Dr Dougal Sutherland said it was important for people experiencing mental health difficulties to reach out "as often and early as possible".
"Anxiety and depression can make you feel isolated even when you're not, and breaking out of that bubble to make connections with other people is really helpful."
Sutherland said higher levels of stress were normal responses to naturally stressful events like the pandemic lockdowns.
For counselling and support Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) Need to talk? Call or text 1737 Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202
For children and young people Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234 What's Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm) The Lowdown: Text 5626 or webchat
For help with specific issues Alcohol and Drug Helpline: Call 0800 787 797 Anxiety Helpline: Call 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) OutLine: Call 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) (6pm-9pm) Safe to talk (sexual harm): Call 0800 044 334 or text 4334
All services are free and available 24/7 unless otherwise specified. For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, hauora, community mental health team, or counselling service.
