As our lives have been impacted by a whole range of direct and indirect consequences of COVID-19, we have grown weary, irritable even, at the mere mention of the topic. We are living in a world with constantly changing rules and recommendations and many of us are sick and tired of being sick and tired! This may have as much to do with the stress it has added to our lives as it does with what we have lost.
We all do things each and every day in service of maintaining our mental health. Some of the most important things that we do, we scarcely even notice. We wake up and engage in our morning routines, go to work, chat with friendly co-workers, call family members, go to church, or maybe have supper with friends. We most often do these things without thought or intention about just how important these activities are in keeping us grounded and stable.
If nothing else, this period of Safer at Home has taught us just how important these small things are in maintaining our sense of feeling okay. Human beings are creatures of habit – we all thrive on at least some measure of rhythm and routine in our lives. When that is disrupted by events outside of our control it can bring an overall unease for us. Human beings require at least one genuine relationship in their lives to experience emotional comfort. Connection helps us to make sense of ourselves and our worlds. In the absence of that, we can feel a bit empty or drifting.
So, for those of you out there feeling unsettled, on edge, irritable, or a general discomfort within, take it as evidence of your humanity. This is confirmation that we need one another in big and small ways, we need our morning coffee routine, and we need to give ourselves and one another a bit of loving-kindness. Hang in there! Nothing lasts forever.
Submitted by: Angela Fredrickson, LCSW - Clinical Director, Northwest Passage
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Last Update: Jun 15, 2020 12:05 pm CDT
