Pandemic Emotional Burnout
If we were just talking about the quarantine/pandemic and Covid-19, we could all admit this has been a trying time. I was originally going to write a blog about quarantine burnout and realized that just doesn't cut it right now. There is so much taking place in our country that transcends just quarantine and a pandemic...our country is hurting and changing and we need to process it. There are many emotions floating around. There is heartbreak, hurt, sadness, grief and many other emotions right now. It is a challenge not to internalize those emotions and strife we all feel.
Many have faced quarantine, curfew, loss, illness, and pain in recent months. As citizens, we have already been so provoked that anything else added to our plates feels like more than we can handle. We all want to be safe, yet are missing that social contact and ability to engage with others we have grown accustomed to...The truth is people do need social contact to feel emotional stability and security.
I am hearing from so many of the people whom I work with that they are experiencing a variety of symptoms along the lines of anxiety, depression, fatigue, stress, worry, loneliness, anger, etc. I have turned to labeling many of the symptoms as Quarantine Burnout, or even just sheer emotional burn out. People have simply hit their limit on how much they can really handle and we are instead seeing an increase in different emotional and behavioral symptoms. Everyone expresses their struggles differently so your symptoms may look different from your friend, child, partner, loved one's and coworkers.
Even as things remain beyond our control, there still are things that we can do to take back control of ourselves, environment and immediate surroundings. It is so important to fight the urge to focus on the future. It is easy to activate the automatic negative thought of Fortune Telling, but we must fight that urge to focus on the future and use our skills to stay present and grounded. Mindfulness skills come in handy to help us focus on the present and what we are truly in control of right now. Many skills can help us stay present: sometimes we need to use safe distractions, hobbies, talking to loved ones, staying busy and using our voice to recognize our own strength. Each and every one of us has a voice and it is how we use our voice to assert our power. Journal, blog or document your journey. It is healthy and important to process your struggles and writing allows us to externalize our thoughts and feelings. Processing through writing is an amazing tool in recognizing and addressing subconscious and underlying emotional patterns.
As always there are people ready and waiting to listen if those emotions are too much to bear on your own.