Jeff:

23/03/2020 to February 2021

“It eventually felt like I was in prison again. I was hearing keys. Though I wasn't. I was dreaming, like I was waking up..... "Where am I"? It got to a stage where I was passing time like I would in prison. And I don’t know, it sort of mucked me up a bit...Knocked me head up a bit... I don’t know how I got through it, but I did”.

What is your connection to Moreland? And, to which suburb(s)?

Jeff lives in Moreland and has spent most of his life in the area.

What was your experience of life before the pandemic?

After many years of living on the street or in unstable housing, Jeff moved into his own unit at the end of 2019. He was recovering from time spent in hospital and slowly getting out and about. Jeff also got involved with an initiative where he helped to develop a go to guide for homeless people. This was really good for his confidence and he enjoyed socialising with others during the process.

Describe an experience that occurred during this pandemic that has stood out to be significant to you or your organisation/space/business that you'd like to share?

Jeff started isolating in March and the lockdowns were a challenging time for him. He was conscious of his elderly neighbours and didn't want to make them ill so he took care to follow all the rules. It was hard not to see his friends or go outside and just be surrounded by other people. Although he was able to catch up on odd jobs around the house and do a bit of writing, Jeff still struggled with loneliness and isolation.

Having spent a number of years in prison, Jeff found that the confinement of lockdown felt like prison. There was a lot of dead time and it brought back memories of his life before. “It eventually felt like I was in prison again. I was hearing keys. Though I wasn't. I was dreaming, like I was waking up..... "Where am I"? It got to a stage where I was passing time like I would in prison. And I don’t know, it sort of mucked me up a bit...Knocked me head up a bit... I don’t know how I got through it, but I did”. Said Jeff. As Jeff's depression and anxiety increased, he started drinking more as a coping mechanism. During this period Jeff was also trying to reduce his methadone dosage but this was difficult to do and ultimately took longer than he originally planned.

The thing that really helped Jeff during lockdown was his rescue cat. They kept each other company and looked after each other. Jeff started working at the end of 2020 and this has given him a great sense of purpose. He now feels more self-confident, peaceful and positive about the future. He knows that he has the capacity to give back to society and make a difference in people’s lives.

Photos by Simon Aubor. Experience submitted through submission form.