How was it for you? Three autoethnographic reflections of mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic

Purpose This study aims to describe the experiences of three psychologists during the Covid-19 lockdown in the UK. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a collaborative autoethnographic approach. Findings Not surprisingly, life changed dramatically for all three individuals. One experienced extreme poverty for a few months, with subsequent effects on their mental well-being. One was completely socially isolated, apart from digital connectivity. The other found she was forced to develop her inner resilience. None of the three experienced posttraumatic stress, and neither did they experience posttraumatic growth. There was evidence of benefit finding, which the researchers refer to as post-adversarial appreciation. Research limitations/implications So much of the research on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has been large quantitative studies. While this qualitative autoethnographic approach features only three individuals, it provides some fascinating insights into how individuals coped during lockdown. Predictions that Covid-19 would lead to a mental health epidemic were not found; however, it would be incorrect to say that the individuals’ mental health was unaffected. Practical implications These three narratives were all different. This shows even with such a small sample the diversity of responses to the pandemic. Social implications In the UK, as elsewhere in the world, researchers have learnt much about responses to the pandemic and lockdown restrictions. These lessons will hopefully prove helpful when we experience the next pandemic. Originality/value These accounts, written by three psychologists, are not surprisingly grounded in the wider psychological literature. Covid-19 left no one untouched. The authors encourage the reader to think while these were our experiences, “How was it for you?”