Perfect storm

Covid, the rising cost of living and the housing crisis have all helped create
the ideal climate for a mental health emergency, Angela Saurine reports

It was during a Covid lockdown that Sharon Grocott noticed her daughter’s mental health declining. At first, Amber thought she could hear the neighbours’ intimate conversations. Then she became convinced her Facebook was being hacked, and that someone was trying to steal her identity. Grocott has worked in the mental health sector for most of her life, but even she found navigating the system challenging as she tried to get help for the 25-year-old, who has since been diagnosed with psychosis and schizophrenia