Good post – but don’t you think the truly honest reason is that it is completely unnecessary?
Pandemic Fatigue: the Real Reason Why You’re Tired of Social Distancing
by Anna LeMind
Pandemic fatigue is real and it doesn’t affect only health workers.
Today, it’s nearly impossible to find a person who is not tired of social distancing. Whether you agree with your government’s strategy for handling the COVID-19 pandemic or not, it’s undeniable that living like this for months can be challenging for everyone.
But what about introverts? We must be better equipped for dealing with social isolation, aren’t we? Well, in general, we are, but it’s only a part of the story.
The Beginning of the Pandemic
In the spring of 2020, when the pandemic spread across Europe and North America and governments started to implement social distancing measures, I took it lightly.
Of course, I wasn’t happy about this global crisis, but I found it somehow ironic that the whole world was suddenly forced into adopting a lifestyle that was natural to a quiet loner such as I was.
It felt like eventually, all introverts got justified after years of being misfits and outsiders in the extroverted society.
Unlike extroverts, we didn’t really struggle with social distancing measures since many of us had already been living like this for years. Stay home? Most of the time! Keep your distance from other people? Absolutely! Avoid large social gatherings? Always!
But months passed, and the situation didn’t seem so ironic anymore. We all lost the normalcy of our lives and no longer had the freedoms and opportunities we had taken for granted before the pandemic started.
Yes, it’s true that as introverts, we had become friends with social isolation long before the COVID-19 era. We always know how to entertain ourselves without leaving the house. And we have fewer needs for social interaction than the rest.
But we too enjoy small get-togethers with our few friends and miss our nearest and dearest who live far away. We too long for the time when we could go out for dinner or watch the latest sci-fi movie in the cinema.
One Simple Cause of Pandemic Fatigue That Affects Both Introverts and Extroverts
But most importantly, every one of us is tired of social distancing and the pandemic situation for one simple reason – we want our future back. We all miss the privilege of making plans for our lives.
Under current circumstances, we have to postpone our plans. And I’m not talking just about our travel or leisure arrangements. I’m also talking about life goals and pursuits.
Whoever planned to chase their dream and start a business in the pre-pandemic world is no longer certain that this is achievable. Someone who was going to start a family and have a baby is no longer sure that now is the right moment.
In essence, we have put our personal lives on hold for an indefinite time. And this is one of the main causes of the so-called pandemic fatigue, which has affected people of all nations, ages, and personality types.
Human beings thrive when they can plan for their future and have a meaningful goal to pursue. When we have no other choice but to live in an atmosphere of global fear and uncertainty, our mental health suffers.
We feel confused and insecure; we realize how vulnerable and powerless we are. Currently, we don’t even have the power to decide on our own lives. We are no longer certain about our tomorrows and have no idea when we will take our normal lives back.
Pandemic Depression
But there is more to the pandemic’s negative effects on our mental health – there is also a concept of pandemic depression.
I would say that this emotional state is very similar to the so-called Weltschmerz, which describes one’s pain caused by the world’s suffering and inability to change the situation.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that every sensitive individual, regardless of their occupation or personality type, is feeling frustrated and desperate right now.
Seeing other people suffering and sensing all this tension of fear, uncertainty, and panic in the air can be overwhelming for anyone, but especially for empaths or highly sensitive individuals. Not even mentioning the never-ending flow of negative news from our phones, computer, and TV screens.
Other factors that lead to pandemic depression are very similar to the causes of pandemic fatigue and include long-term social isolation, uncertainty about one’s future, and a lack of freedom.
Is There a Way to Cope with Pandemic Fatigue and Depression?
However, despite all this, let’s not lose hope in these challenging times. Let’s keep believing that a positive change will come soon. Till then, we will have to find ways to keep going and cope with our pandemic fatigue and depression.
As for me, I’ve found a curious remedy that works: I’ve noticed that reading dystopian books and watching gloomy movies and TV series helps relieve these emotional states.
Maybe it works because we find dystopian movies and novels as relatable as never before. Or because we feel relieved since the protagonists of those films and books are having an even harder time than we are.
Are you tired of social distancing too? How do you cope with pandemic fatigue and depression?
