Pandemic Fatigue Is Real — Here’s How You Can Deal With It

The pandemic has thrown us all in a spin. We never saw it coming, not even when it crept out of the crevices of Wuhan and began spreading its tentacles across the world. It always seemed like something someone else would have to deal with. When it finally came to grip us all, we were caught unprepared — as individuals, communities, and nations.

When the first reaction of panic, chaos, and fear subsided, there was a slight lull. People were adjusting to the new normal. Some even felt a slight relief at the change — after all, it was something that broke the monotony of years. Very soon, this new normal began to weigh heavily on us all as pandemic fatigue made its impact.

Dr. Paul Nestadt, an assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins, describes pandemic fatigue as a feeling of exhaustion experienced from months of time and energy spent dealing with the lifestyle and struggles brought on by the pandemic.

What Causes Pandemic Fatigue

These are no ordinary times, and the kinds of stress, strain, and loss being felt are huge. Let us take examine some factors that have brought on pandemic fatigue:

• Loss: Regardless of age, people have experienced loss. Loss of important celebrations and milestones, friends and family who have succumbed, loss of jobs and livelihood, and all sense of normalcy.
• Fear: A host of fears are being experienced — fear of infection, re-infection, separation from family, and job security are among the biggest.
• Confusion: The status of the virus, its mutation, and impact are constantly changing the status of lockdown in several places. This uncertainty has confused people who do not know what to expect or plan toward anymore.
• Fatigue: COVID-19 has lost all sense of novelty today. People are tired of having to isolate and distance themselves socially. They also seem to have had enough of constantly masking themselves. The fatigue of the situation and its restrictions has set in.
• Mental faculties: Several problems, viz. loneliness, anxiety, depression, and paranoia have set through the pandemic. At a time when support systems are critical, people have no access to one another. Resilience is at an all-time low.
• Stress: A combination of all the variables has made individuals combat severe stress. Unfortunately, the stress and other conditions combined create a vicious cycle that is hard to break away from.

Combating Pandemic Fatigue

If you find yourself battling any of the above feelings or even beginning to experience them, here are some things you can do:

• Discover: Remember that this time will never come back again. Use the flexibility and opportunity to revisit your forgotten hobbies and passions, and find things that you’ve always wanted to do.
• Stay active: We are all confined and leading sedentary lifestyles. You can ensure you keep active and fit despite it. Plan your own workouts and exercise regimens. Everyday!
• Find privacy: This is a time where the office, home, playground, and school have all converged into one room. Find a time when you can sit by yourself, secluded. Spend this time thinking, listening to music, or even reading.
• Schedule: Having a well-scheduled day is a certain trick to keeping things predictable and in control. Have defined times for meals, work, alone time, and family hours.
• Reach out: This is not something we can fight alone. Get all the help you can. Find someone you can talk to in case you feel mentally agitated. Find a buddy who can take a walk with you. Talk to a professional the moment something feels amiss.

You can also contribute to covid-19 fundraisers here to make a difference and help thousands survive this crisis.