I saw this poem posted a couple months ago and feel that it still encompasses the current mood and collective exhaustion:
You’re Not Imagining It…
You’re not imagining it, nobody seems to want to talk right now.
Messages are brief and replies late. Talk of catch ups on zoom are perpetually put on hold. Group chats are no longer pinging all night long.
It’s not you. It’s everyone. We are spent. We have nothing left to say.
We are tired of saying ‘I miss you’ and ‘I can’t wait for this to end’. So we mostly say nothing, put our heads down and get through each day.
You’re not imagining it. This is a state of being like no other we have ever known because we are all going through it together but so very far apart.
Hang in there my friend. When the mood strikes, send out all those messages and don’t feel you have to apologize for being quiet.
This is hard. No one is judging.
By Donna Ashworth Author of poetry book, ‘to the women’
This pandemic fatigue is real. I have seen patients in practice who are feeling isolated regardless of a sea of scheduled zoom rooms. Even with the promise of vaccinations and herd immunity, one year into this health crisis, it is the sense of loss and lack of joy that has us reeling. The general consensus is that people are tired and exhausted by the uncertainty.
Families have been affected on varying levels and everyone is dealing with their own pain and grief. Even if there is yearning for connection (which is easier than ever before with today’s technology), there is a sense of just not being in the mood. The isolation and desperation looms as we continue to float in this seemingly never ending state of being, especially in places where lockdowns continue and the news is full of frenetic energy.
I feel you and I see you. Take this as your own permission slip to press pause and to take good self care while you opt out of social interaction (in person and online) until you are ready to push play again. Be gentle with yourself. As we move through the emotion of ‘languishing,’ the trending term in psychology that relates to people who are functioning but not flourishing. Languishing refers to the blahs that dull our concentration and feelings of motivation. Turns out that languishing is how many are feeling during this time: joyless and aimless.
The mental health toll that the pandemic has caused is becoming very apparent now. Some people who have been working from home for over a year and haven’t left their houses much may experience anxiety and a daunting sense of social phobia when they do have to go out and interact in the real world. Some people who are essential workers and must be physically present for their jobs may feel overwhelmed and wish they could stay home and not be constantly exposed in their environment. The collective exhaustion is palpable and it is absolutely ok to ride out your emotions, feel your feelings, and experience them without judgment. Everyone is coping differently and it is ok if you need to sit this one out to take care and keep your mental health intact.
Making it through each day the best that you can is a win. The one tip I want to share here is pause to do something you love everyday. Pick something different each day, and do it for a minimum of five minutes. This could be as simple as watching the sun set or listening to a favorite song. After you have completed that one thing, hit play and get back to your life. Eventually you may just have a flow of things you love filling your whole day. This is how we keep that spark of joy lit in our hearts, regardless of what is going on externally.
Whether you are pressing pause or pushing play, try to keep your spine and nervous system in check, your chi (life force energy) balanced, and your diet and fitness routines working well for you. Know that your health practitioners are here to anchor and support you with open arms as we move through the physical and emotional stress of this unprecedented time.
By Dr. Anita Rajan, DC