Since 2010, I’ve used The CP Diary to look at my own physical and emotional health around a disability I didn't know I had. Since then it's grown into more of a lifestyle blog where anyone can tap into what they deal with through my experiences.
The CP Diary still continues to highlight how our physical, emotional, and psychological health are impacted by life circumstances, politics, and societal change. I tend to reflect on events as they unfold, but sometimes it’s only with hindsight that we begin to fully understand the emotional and mental cost of political decisions.
Over the last decade, few events have left a deeper impact on the UK than Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Both shifted the country in ways we’re still unpacking. While each event had its own context and consequences, together they’ve created a perfect storm that has redefined how we think, talk about and deal with mental health. We don't.
In 2016, Prime Minister David Cameron called a referendum on the UK’s membership in the European Union. His goal, in part, was to resolve long-standing tensions within his own party. What followed was a campaign that became deeply divisive, not just politically, but socially and emotionally.
The Brexit vote split families, communities, and even generations. It created widespread uncertainty around jobs, identity, and future opportunities. For many, particularly younger people and EU nationals living in the UK, the vote created emotional insecurity and a loss of trust in the democratic process. According to mental health charity Mind, the political instability surrounding Brexit contributed to a noticeable uptick in anxiety, stress, and feelings of powerlessness across the population.
When national identity and belonging come into question, it impacts how we think and feel. It creates emotional stress, especially when those decisions are taken out of people’s hands and control, or when things are imposed – without clear direction or support. Brexit didn't create mental health issues, but it did introduce a prolonged period of instability that made emotional resilience harder to maintain.
By 2020, the UK was already emotionally drained from years of political uncertainty. Then Covid-19 arrived. The effects of the pandemic are well documented: isolation, grief, health anxiety, financial pressure, and a lack of access to routine healthcare. But what hasn’t been talked about enough is the long-term emotional toll. I continue to talk about my and our emotional toll on The CP Diary. Writing anything about mental health through a blog like mine carries responsibility.
Many people found themselves without support, either socially or clinically. NHS mental health services, already under strain before the pandemic, were overwhelmed. The Centre for Mental Health estimated that up to 10 million people in England alone would need new or additional mental health support as a result of the pandemic. Waiting times for therapy increased. Many who had never struggled before were suddenly experiencing anxiety and depression for the first time. (Source: centreformentalhealthorguk)
For those of us already living with long-term health conditions or disabilities, the challenges were even greater. Shielding, medical uncertainty, and reduced care access created additional stress. It became harder to manage not just the practical aspects of health, but the emotional ones too.
While Brexit and Covid-19 were very different events, they shared one important similarity: both exposed the fragility of our systems, socially, economically, and psychologically.
The emotional consequences of both events were magnified by a lack of adequate support. Political decisions were made, but the mental health implications were not fully considered. And yet, emotional health underpins everything else, our ability to cope, to function, to feel safe in the world.
As I often write on my blog, emotional health is not separate from politics or society – it is shaped by them. The last ten years have shown how easily that health can be undermined and unravelled, when stability, trust, and connection are lost.
If there’s anything to take from the last decade, it’s that mental health must be part of every major decision – not an afterthought, but a priority. This means proper funding for mental health services. Earlier intervention. Less stigma. And greater awareness from political leaders about the emotional consequences of national change. Their attitude and language need to change.
More importantly, it means recognising that individual mental health doesn’t exist in isolation – it’s shaped by the world we live in. We need to stop expecting individuals to carry the emotional burden of systemic instability alone.
On The CP Diary, I have always believed that understanding the emotional impact of events, both personal and global, is essential to finding peace and wellbeing. Brexit and Covid-19 have left deep emotional scars on the UK, but they’ve also created an opportunity: a chance to rethink how we care for each other, how we lead, and how we heal.
We must do better. And that begins with politicians acknowledging the full weight of their decisions, what we’ve all had to go through, as a consequence and what we’re still carrying. But around mental health we each have our own responsibilities to take back control.
Writing about anything, but particularly mental health on The CP Diary carries responsibility. While I stand by every word, it's a big responsibility. As today's article explains – we each have a responsibility to ourselves to care for our mental health.
