“Our relationship during this pandemic is still going strong!”

Duncan and Fiona have been together for 3.5 years. They have met at ATIK nigh club and have started dating shortly after. They don’t live together but they have been seeing each other regularly,  at least once a week before lockdown.

In March 2020, lockdown happened and Fiona was really worried and filled with anxiety. She said that there was “uncertainty when this will be over, I felt stressed and I also felt some days I didn’t want to go out of my bed! Still now, I sometimes feel this way. Not knowing for how long lockdown would be going on was really hard. I just felt so on my own. My support was only over the phone, I was not getting face to face support.I found it very difficult as my routine was totally broken.” 

Fiona adds “We got used to whatsapp, we were honest with each other and we didn’t have a choice as we lived over 5 miles apart. We haven’t had a chance to celebrate our anniversary! We knew that NHS staff were also not seeing their loved ones in some cases and we thought of how much the NHS has done for everyone and that got us through it. The NHS means a lot to me, I have no sympathy for people who  were breaking the restrictions.”

“Strength of our relationship was what got us through it, the determination and having faith in our relationship. Duncan once said that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and eventually the restrictions were lifted and we were able to see each other after a very long break. It was like a relief but also we were nervous, but it wasn’t emotional, maybe we built up trust, knowing our relationship is strong. To my surprise we were flat with each other, we were trying to get a banter, but it’s been difficult to establish the same level of where we were before the lockdown.”

“Life in lockdown changed us as individuals and our relationship, even now it feels like we are starting again, so now we have to deal with the feelings and go over it. We got this far. We started talking and communicating more and helping each other, we reassured each other more, to know we will get through it. Noone has prepared people for this, there was no support and there is still uncertainty of going forward, so now we are trying to find ways to be together.

We miss the ATIK club nights, going out to cafes, we can’t go out for a meal which is what we used to do. Instead, we are sometimes watching a DVD, going for a walk, and finding ways to get us back. We even started playing cards. But over this time, Duncan has been my rock and I’ve been his rock and we hope that for other couples out there are also readjusting to their relationships and how they have changed during the lockdown, it might not going to be the same again but it might even be better!”