Chances are, you’ve seen stories of people hanging out with more and more friends and going to more and more places recently. You sit there in your room, angry that they couldn’t do their part but also longing to be a part of the outing.
You can’t help but wonder why people are choosing to go out when the news is filled with reports of cases rising every day. Aren’t they so selfish?
Well, not particularly.
While it’s not advisable and definitely not okay to be gallivanting from here to there during a time when the pandemic is not only still present but getting worse because of all the mutations, you can’t really expect people to stay holed up in the house for how many months straight.
It’s really not humanly possible.
So what we’re seeing now is a case of pandemic fatigue. Yes, you heard that right.
What is pandemic fatigue?
Pandemic fatigue is when people feel less obligated to follow health protocols because of feelings of tiredness, stress, anxiety, and restlessness.
It happens when we’ve been drowned with news about COVID-19 everyday, and constantly been told to wash our hands, wear our masks, stay 6 feet apart etc., etc.
Naturally, people will feel burnt out from having to follow all these rules and reminders, all the while trying to stay at home.
What we have now is a whole mass of people who are itching to eat out, go to amusement parks, go to the bar, and do all the things they weren’t allowed to for almost a year.
So what can we do about it?
Relax. Understand that everyone is trying their best with what they’re given. It’d be beneficial to maybe take some time to accept the feelings of stress and anxiety and consequently, let them go. Try a Netflix night or self-care home spa to get yourself to loosen up.
Get some fresh air. Get away from the news and go into the great outdoors. Take a walk with your dog or have a picnic alone (or with a socially acceptable amount of friends). The point is to get out of the confines of your house and feel nature because doing so might help clear your mind.
Talk with others! The hardest part of being in quarantine is feeling so disconnected with the world as the days melt into one another. It’s very easy to feel alone and isolated when you don’t see someone every day.
A good way to combat this feeling of loneliness is to set up Zoom calls with friends or even hang out from the comfort of your cars — whatever works.
The most important thing is that you feel your concerns are being heard and that you’re not the only one in this fight against the virus.
So while we are a long way from getting back to our idea of “normal”, we each can do these little things (safely) to help free up the mental burden on our minds which in turn will help keep our bodies healthy and resilient.
