The word according to USA Today and why we're all at sea

[Deleted]

That explains it all. I'm not just old after all; I'm old, but not just old...I'm emotionally exhausted. Says so right here!

link

[saveinla]

My boss explained it to us last week - he gave us quite a few symptoms and asked us what it was about - it was all about trauma. 

Even though we may not think we have it, almost everyone has emotional trauma due to the pandemic. We have pivoted and learned to live with it in some way, shape or form, but it lingers and may manifest in other ways that we do not know. 

For example, for me, everything seems to need more thought, when earlier I could just do my work very fast and without any issues. I seem to have to read everything more than once, write it down and carefully think about it or go back to it before I can reply. It makes everything much slower than it needs to be and is also frustrating. This is even applicable for things that I have been doing for the longest time and I am seeing the same with a few of my team members.

[buystoys]

I think staying in place exacerbates the problem.  There's no change of scenery to challenge the mind.  There's less interaction with others to keep us alert.  It becomes a plodding routine doing the same thing day in and day out.

[TheOtherMe]

My therapist told me at our last session that I have to train my brain so that it thinks it is okay to go out.  I've spent since March of 2020 training it to give me the least possible exposure to people.  Now I have to train it to let me do some things I consider not risky.

I am an introvert so being alone wasn't my greatest problem.  It was the idea that there was no where safe to go.  No where.  

At least now I'm back to the old routine of going to town once a week for errands.  Not doing many where I go indoors yet.  It's a process for me and my comfort will not return in 2 weeks.  It will be a while.

It will be a very, very long time before I am comfortable being around people who are not vaccinated--especially those who have bought in to all the ridiculous reasons for not being vaccinated.  I will not be around those people at this time.

[Deleted]

May 2, 2021 16:26:02 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

My therapist told me at our last session that I have to train my brain so that it thinks it is okay to go out.  I've spent since March of 2020 training it to give me the least possible exposure to people.  Now I have to train it to let me do some things I consider not risky.

I am an introvert so being alone wasn't my greatest problem.  It was the idea that there was no where safe to go.  No where.  

At least now I'm back to the old routine of going to town once a week for errands.  Not doing many where I go indoors yet.  It's a process for me and my comfort will not return in 2 weeks.  It will be a while.

It will be a very, very long time before I am comfortable being around people who are not vaccinated--especially those who have bought in to all the ridiculous reasons for not being vaccinated.  I will not be around those people at this time.

Thank you so much for sharing your feelings and experience.   I am really struggling with these issues now.   I made a little first step today by actually going in to a Subway to order a sandwich rather than ordering online.  Only one staffer and one customer in the building and I got out without a meltdown.  

We are going to start traveling soon, little overnight trips, a 2-day trip, and then maybe a week or two.  I know I have to address my fears but it's tough.  

For me, the Covid exposure fear was incredibly amplified by the politically motivated hate speech over the last two years.  Normally, when we travel I'm the socially engaged, communicative one because DH is an introvert and functionally deaf.  That's not a role I'll play again because of the political BS.  Since I really want to see more places before I die, I'm willing to risk Covid exposure; I have zero desire to associate with other humans while doing so. Having close friends and family call you filthy names because of your political affiliation sort of cures you of that.  

[Lizard Queen]

All I gotta say is, welcome to my world. I was here all by myself for the years taking care of my mom. Last year when people were making the adjustment, I was all: BTDT.

[TheOtherMe]

May 2, 2021 17:21:08 GMT -5 @donethat said:

May 2, 2021 16:26:02 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

My therapist told me at our last session that I have to train my brain so that it thinks it is okay to go out.  I've spent since March of 2020 training it to give me the least possible exposure to people.  Now I have to train it to let me do some things I consider not risky.

I am an introvert so being alone wasn't my greatest problem.  It was the idea that there was no where safe to go.  No where.  

At least now I'm back to the old routine of going to town once a week for errands.  Not doing many where I go indoors yet.  It's a process for me and my comfort will not return in 2 weeks.  It will be a while.

It will be a very, very long time before I am comfortable being around people who are not vaccinated--especially those who have bought in to all the ridiculous reasons for not being vaccinated.  I will not be around those people at this time.

Thank you so much for sharing your feelings and experience.   I am really struggling with these issues now.   I made a little first step today by actually going in to a Subway to order a sandwich rather than ordering online.  Only one staffer and one customer in the building and I got out without a meltdown.  

We are going to start traveling soon, little overnight trips, a 2-day trip, and then maybe a week or two.  I know I have to address my fears but it's tough.  

For me, the Covid exposure fear was incredibly amplified by the politically motivated hate speech over the last two years.  Normally, when we travel I'm the socially engaged, communicative one because DH is an introvert and functionally deaf.  That's not a role I'll play again because of the political BS.  Since I really want to see more places before I die, I'm willing to risk Covid exposure; I have zero desire to associate with other humans while doing so. Having close friends and family call you filthy names because of your political affiliation sort of cures you of that.  

Sadly this happened to me also and there are people I never want to see in person again.  

My travel will probably be limited to local trips and trips to see baby, wherever they live.  

[bookkeeper]

We drove around for a year looking for empty parking lots as a beacon for safe shopping/carryout.  Before that, we were isolated at home because of DH's car accident. It feels very strange to be out in public doing what we used to do.  18 months is a long time to hide at home.  It's gonna take some time to get used to.

[finnime]

A friend wrote the other day that being with a small group of vaccinated friends outdoors and unmasked feels like being at a sweaty doggin' orgy. I know what he means.

[Artemis Windsong]

I know I have issues from covid era. I was so disorganized making out birthday cards to mail. My writing sentiments is mostly gone. I have not worked on any art projects.

I play tennis and pickleball with a group outside.

I did go out to eat at a restaurant with friends before they left for a seasonal home. We usually only ordered in.

There are a groups of people I never want to interact with again.

When the isolation started, my thought was people are away from their bullies. My DD pointed out that children were cooped up at home with their abusers unable to cope with full time kids.

Being informed about what someone is going through can't articulate is healing.

[Deleted]

Today we watched a webinar about the trip we were scheduled for last year, which has been rescheduled for this fall.  For a lot of reasons, we didn't feel a need to re-book.  One reason, at least for me, was that they kept talking about it being a "made in America" trip and how that period of time was when America was amazing "which we all need now".  I just can't do that emotionally at this point in time and probably never.  They added and highly emphasized a "Made In America" shop and group which has become a significant focus of the trip. I know the geography and history of the area would be cool, but I honestly felt this would be a highly political journey and I'm not spending $$$ for that.

[Artemis Windsong]

Incorrect choice. I'm not real alive early in the morning. Tennis started playing early because of the heat. I decided to ride my bicycle. Bad decision was to get on my bike while on gravel. I fell. Skinning my knee, shin and elbow. Then, with the gravel, I had a hard time getting up so I didn't scrape more body parts.

I needed to make decisions on what documents to shred. I hope I did the correct ones.

H. was pressing me with what do you want to do with this or that while I was sorting the kitchen cupboards.

Mind fog.