Pandemic Depression – How To Make It Through
Okay, I confess I’m not okay. I’m feeling the effects of prolonged quarantine as well as the pressure of producing at work. Some days I just don’t want to produce anything but rather to sleep. However, there’s the need to work out. Plus, I see all of my friends’ posts which show how productive they are and I feel like I’m not. Then there are my wonderful kids that have to be home-schooled…and fed, and there’s endless laundry to fold, and and and….
We are all adjusting to a new normal. Yes, it’s exhausting.
We have traversed the trajectory of a universe in a few short weeks. We have gone from our past normal life to a new form of normal. If you are feeling the same depression that I am feeling…welcome to the new normal.
We can make it through. However, we have to go through and not around it. We can’t avoid this depression but we can lean into it and come out the other side. How?
First, we have to acknowledge the feeling of grief and loss
As we continue this new way of life, there is a grieving process about how things used to be. We could go out anytime we wished, anywhere we could afford. It never occurred to us that we would be living though a world pandemic. Today we have restrictions. Coupled with the underlying fear of getting the virus or maybe passing it inadvertently to others.
Second, we have to honor our new normal. It is temporary.
Although we’ll never return to the life we lived even a month ago, we will come through this time period. We will have learned new resilience and new skills. The journey through, however, may be uncomfortable.
Third, we can have gratitude throughout the process.
Even keeping a daily list of 5-10 things to have gratitude for will help focus us on the positive aspects of this time.
Finally, when we are weary of the journey, we can stop and be still.
We can use this time to let our souls catch up with our bodies. This is a cosmic “pause” that can be seen as a gift, if we are willing to look at it that way.
My blog post from March 5th talks about the value of slowing down. http://rabbicosnowsky.com/why-slowing-down-is-the-best-way-to-catch-up/ which shows the value of taking advantage of pausing.
When we do pause and allow our souls to rest, we will regenerate, heal and can become whole again.
Is anyone else struggling with the effects of the pandemic experience?
