Many people have turned the rigours of isolation into a positive.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Much has been made, for example, of how working from home has allowed people to spend more time with their families.
It hasn't been easy - and, of course, for those who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic these past weeks have been extremely difficult - but people have shown a great capacity to adapt.
IN OTHER NEWS:
We have probably been surprised by how we have coped with such a different way of life, even as we plan for the time beyond the pandemic.
But for others, what has been happening has made life an even greater struggle.
This difficulty centres on the challenges created by an eating disorder.
It has, she has told The Border Mail, been difficult enough to get access to treatment in the Albury-Wodonga region in normal times.
Just when she needs the continuity of care that she has been able to achieve, the rigours of our rules of isolation have put the gains at greater risk
Being isolated is something that can make things even more difficult for someone with an eating disorder, she says.
She is certainly mindful of her own experience, but is also concerned greatly at the impact on others - for those already with diagnosed conditions (in her case, anorexia) and for those susceptible to developing such an illness for the first time.
As she says, "eating disorders are all about control and isolating that person. COVID-19 is almost perfect, considering we are home all the time and during the height of the lockdown we couldn't travel.
"That in itself would stop people from seeking help."
As a community we need to do what we can to support those struggling with eating disorders, especially in developing the cross-border collaboration Natasha Kirk sees as crucial to achieving genuine progress.
