Pandemic and mental health: What happened to us?
Our mental health is something that we all need to take care of. Without our mental health managed properly, bad things can happen. Our judgement can be clouded. We may make poor decisions. We may cry, be sad, throw things into a wall, use drugs, engage in reckless/impulsive sex, slam people into walls, stab, maim, or kill people, spend lots of money, and bottle ourselves up in a bottomless pit somewhere. All of these things sound anywhere from kind of problematic, to extremely problematic.
Now with the pandemic going on, mental health has never been a more important thing for ourselves. Humans thrive on social presence, thrive on things to do. Life would be pretty boring if we were the only example of our kind of species alive on this earth. If we were all alone.
Yet, nowadays, we find ourselves in that precarious position. We’re told to “Stay home”, and “Socially distance”. All in the name of preventing the spread of a biological weapon destined to kill. A flu that is no flu. A piece of genetic material so contagious, and so poisonous to the existence of our species, that we wear masks indoors, refrain from hooking up, refrain from doing the things we love. Putting off weddings, parties, and galas for another time.
Everyone wants to do things. Being so far apart from our friends, lovers, and family has caused all of us to long for connection. In an online world, where the layers of social abstraction are more obtuse than they were before, we find ourselves missing the key social context in conversation, in love, and in our friends.
Doing everything from afar has depersonalized ourselves to a version where the Internet is dominant. Where people look like they are flat, when the reality is three dimensional. Where text messages don’t say what we truly mean.
Another thing this pandemic has caused is relationship instability. People are losing their partners during this pandemic because online access all the time has gotten women, men, and non-binary people alike to peruse for something better. And when we think we have the answer, the next answer shows up.
Marriages have been broken, people have lost their livelihoods, homes, friends, and family. People have been assaulted or killed. We don’t get to do the things we enjoy anymore. Life has stripped ourselves away, till there is nothing left.
And when all we have is ourselves, we lose everything that we asked for. Everything that was gained. Everything that we ever wanted.
Forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made, and forgive others too for their mistakes. Take care of your mental health. Support your friends and loved ones. And remember to be kind, be calm, and be safe, each and every day.
