Will It Ever End?

I don’t know about you, but I am over it!  And by it, I mean the Pandemic, Covid 19, Coronavirus, the Delta and Omicron variants.  All of it.  I have had enough.  I read a funny tweet the other day that said something to this effect, “The fact that we are at the end of 2021 is proof that time flies when you are not having fun.”  Isn’t that true?   In just a few short months we will hit the 2-year mark of the state shut down.  How much have our lives changed?  How much have we lost?  Have we gained some things as well?

Kurt’s case study about pandemic related anxiety, although not an official diagnosis it is a phenomenon we are learning about and experiencing in real time.  Despite there not having been years of study and peer reviewed research it is safe to say that as a country and world we have all been impacted.  Maybe some of us have seen our anxiety rise.  Maybe we are experiencing anxiety for the first time.  For some of us, getting out with people again has made us feel awkward. Even in social settings where we used to feel completely at ease.  For some of us we have been struggling with depression as our need for interaction with others has gone unmet day after day, month after month and now year after year. 

In my own practice I am noticing all these impacts of the pandemic and more.  I see family relationships strained by the current political climate as it relates to Covid.  If we were all suffering together, united behind a common enemy it would be a little easier.  Unfortunately, the polarization has led to a kind of demonizing of those whose beliefs are different from our own.  All of this is causing negative consequences to our mental health.

So, if I was a Doctor and I was in the business of writing out prescriptions, I would prescribe some remedies for your Winter/Pandemic/Anxiety/Depression diagnosis.  First of all, amp up your selfcare.  What is selfcare, you ask?  Great question.  Selfcare is anything you do today that will benefit your future self.  It could mean straightening your home so you can relax, it could be taking time to finish that last book of the year.  It could be organizing something that has been bothering you like the catch-all drawer in your kitchen.  It could be taking a nap or a walk or going to the gym.  Bottom line, take care of yourself.

Second, I would suggest finding a way to give back.  Take a break from the negativity and do something for someone.  Volunteer, write a letter, make a phone call, make a donation, find a way to give back.

The third prescription would be to expand your grace offerings.  Give yourself some grace, it has been hard, and you are just a human trying to navigate it all. And offer grace to all the other humans around you who are struggling too.

And finally, you don’t have to face this alone.  Give us a call today and set up an appointment to talk about how the Pandemic has affected you.