Aftermath of COVID-19
Life has never been the same for many of us since March 2020. The pandemic has interrupted our daily routines and altered them in ways we could not have foreseen. Some of us lost jobs, businesses, a sense of security, and the capacity to support our families. Being able to provide the necessities of life became very hard. Some of us had to learn new ways of working to accommodate mandates implemented by employers and lawmakers. We all had to adjust to hearing about the tremendous loss of life because of the pandemic. Most of us share knowing someone who died because of COVID-19 or someone whose family member or friend lost their lives during the outbreak of infections.
The pandemic has exacerbated mental health problems as well. On the one hand, anxiety and fear about the well-being and lives of loved ones contributed to more significant emotional distress, as death and death toll has become a very current topic in the news. On the other hand, spending more time confined to our homes and spending more time with family members led to communication and relationship problems that were previously invisible.
People shared their experiences of feeling disoriented in this new reality, feeling like they lost life as they knew it, and fearing the future. They shared feelings of loss in their communities and personal loss. People spoke of frustration, disappointment, grief, sadness, fear, anger, and a lost sense of direction.
As we continue to process this new kind of loss, please know that you are not alone and can reach out for help. Sharing your story, dreams, and life that could have happened but will not as a result of the pandemic is a loss that needs to be processed, and grieving for what was lost but was vital to us is a part of that.
Do a gentle check-in with yourself and ask:
- How am I feeling – do I notice any new/ different emotions in my life that are confusing?
- How has my mood been over the last few weeks/ months?
- Have I had to change my daily routines to accommodate a new reality, and how do I feel about it?
- Do I feel a sense of losing direction due to the pandemic?