COVID Fatigue
Are you Experiencing it too?

As we’ve now been through two years of this, it’s no wonder we’re feeling some sort of burnout, or COVID fatigue. What was once a term related to the work place, it has now been applied to our new way of life.

In other words, it can be simply exhausting. On a day-to-day basis, we are having to weigh risk versus reward for every single move we make, and it doesn’t come without a cost.

• Getting anxious when you are close to someone who is not wearing a mask.
• A strong you vs. them mentality.
• Feelings of isolation, even when the opportunity to socialize exists.
• Quickened temper with those we are close to.
• Feelings of overwhelm whenever a new mandate is reported.
• Hopelessness as it pertains to the pandemic.

Unlike other events like natural disasters, which seem to have a clear beginning and end, this pandemic has yet to provide a clear indication of a timeline. One can easily remember the hope we felt when the beginnings of the vaccinations started rolling out, allowing us to feel like things may be coming to an end sooner rather than later. Unfortunately as we are now facing a new wave and a new variant, that hope seems to have faded a bit.

The overwhelming stress of living under such conditions can begin to take a physiological toll. It is nearly impossible to remain at a sustained level of stress or anxiety and not feel physical symptoms like exhaustion.

Cognitive distortions also play a role in how we view what we’re going through.

All or nothing thinking: Either everyone gets vaccinated, or they’re only thinking about themselves (not accounting for those that medically can’t).

Overgeneralization: This pandemic we’re all going through will be happening for the rest of our lives.

Jumping to Conclusions: Breakthrough cases prove that vaccines don’t work (not taking into account that nothing is perfect, and there will always be breakthrough cases with any vaccine).

One could sit here and tell you to start meditating and take up yoga and you’ll magically feel better. While both modalities are actually wonderful for us psychologically and physiologically, that may not be tthe most practical answer you’re looking for.

So, you have a couple of options… you can lean towards radical acceptance and tell yourself that this is just the new way of living and try to accept it as it is, or you can break out that coping mechanism toolbox and look for the perfect hammer.

Coping mechanisms can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. For some, it’s taking a long hot shower, while for others, cozying up with a good book. So how do you figure out what will work for you?

Think back to a time when you were very stressed out, was there something you did that helped you through it? That’s a coping mechanism. These can be both positive and negative… healthier choices are seen as positive, while those that can be harmful to you or others are negative. But, let’s focus on some positive ones! If you’re having trouble thinking about examples for yourself, perhaps some of these will work!

Avoiding the news: We are being bombarded with negative statistics and doom and gloom stories constantly. Take a mental break.

Move your body: That can be strenuous exercise, yoga, a slow walk, a hike, really anything to get those feel good endorphins going.

Practice gratitude: Sure there’s lots of bad things happening, but can you focus on at least one good thing from every single day?

Connect with others: You may be just as sick of Zoom as I am, so if that doesn’t work for you, try to see a friend. You can still keep your distance, but seeing someone in person can change your whole day.

Find valid scientific sources: If researching is your thing, awesome. Just make sure that your sources are legitimate, this may take a little digging.

Deep breathing: If meditation isn’t quite for you yet, start with some deep breathing. Take a four second breath in, hold it for four seconds, and exhale for another four. This has been known to help lessen anxiety momentarily too.

At the end of the day, all we can do is our best. Try to find the good, spend time with loved ones as we can (even if in an unconventional way), and keep pushing forward as we continue this pandemic journey together.