Marriages, family relations and other relationships are under increased pressure since the implementation of social distancing measures, Cork’s Sexual Health Centre has reported.

While many people have not had the opportunity to enjoy the company of their loved ones in months, others are with their partners or families all day, every day.

“During any kind of crisis, a common and natural reaction is to become increasingly judgemental and critical of yourself and others,” noted Catherine Kennedy, manager of the Sexual Health Centre.

“This pandemic has put immense pressure on people in their day to day lives. In light of this, self-awareness and communication skills are increasingly important for maintaining healthy relationships and a positive environment at home.

“It is normal to feel low and negative at times. The real issue lies in people not recognising their own emotional reactions.

“In order to maintain healthy, honest relationships, it is essential to be aware of, and understanding of, your own emotions.”

The comments come following reports of the Central Statistics Office’s latest figures regarding the social impact of COVID-19. Those reporting high satisfaction in their personal relationships dropped from 60% in 2018, to 42.2% in April 2020.

The Sexual Health Centre has launched an online guide to navigating healthy relationships during the COVID-19 outbreak, in collaboration with Mr Daniel Flynn, Principal Psychology Manager of HSE Cork South Mental Health Services.

#Datenight takes a bit more creativity during the #covid19ireland pandemic! Our #healthyrelationships guide includes a variety of activities for all couples, whether you're living together or not. For more info & full list of activities: https://t.co/Rf8hUxPNlB #socialdistancing pic.twitter.com/gvcKcWL0ge

— Sexual Health Centre (@SHC_Cork) May 10, 2020

“Everybody deals with relationship problems at some point in their lives, and it is natural to be feeling particularly challenged by your relationships during the pandemic.

“Since the implementation of social distancing measures, many people have had difficulty in dealing with emotional awareness, self-worth, interpersonal skills, isolation, cohabitation and intimacy. This guide addresses all of these issues and provides a toolkit for maintaining healthy relationships in the context of social distancing.

“Our team and free helpline service also provide free counselling and virtual workshops on relationships and wellbeing. All of our staff are fully committed to meeting clients’ needs and ensuring service delivery with no bias, no judgement, and no exception,” concluded Ms Kennedy.

Read the Sexual Health Centre’s Healthy Relationships guide here. The campaign is also available on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

The Sexual Health Centre operates a free condom postal service which anyone can avail of by contacting the Centre at 021-4276676 or [email protected].