Slate "The Psychology of Being "Over" COVID-19"

[NRaleighLiberal]

https://slate.com/technology/2020/11/coronavirus-psychogy-moral-decision-making.html

By any metric you look at, COVID-19 is surging across the U.S. right now. Cases are at an all-time high, as are COVID-19 hospitalizations. States are reenacting stricter policies—and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has even recommended against Thanksgiving get-togethers. There are now more cases than the initial outbreak of the virus in March and April, yet, people appear less concerned about the virus. According to polling from FiveThirtyEight, COVID-19 concern hit peaks in mid-April and again in July, but has remained fairly steady over the past few months despite the huge rise in cases. Anti-maskers and others have long been saying, “We’re all going to get it anyway” and “it’s not worse than the flu,” but anecdotally, it seems that as the pandemic drags on, we’re now seeing that attitude from people who were previously cautious but are just really, really tired.

Pandemic fatigue is not new—and it’s certainly understandable. Doctors, nurses, public health officials, epidemiologists, and others fighting to treat COVID-19 and control its spread have been worked to the bone. Working parents are juggling full-time jobs alongside their new gigs as their children’s teachers. Business owners have been struggling to stay afloat, adhere to local policies, and politely deal with aggressive customers, all while exposing themselves to virus risk daily.

But a spate of new stories from folks who say they’ve been careful but got it anyway makes it feel inevitable that COVID-19 could be around any corner, and we just don’t have any vigilance left. Why does it suddenly feel hard to keep going? If that’s you right now, it might help to know you’re not alone. We are fighting an uphill battle; our brains simply were not built for a pandemic scenario.

Bad stuff has always happened to people, of course, and like other animals, our bodies mount physiological stress responses to improve our odds of survival. “Think about an animal, like a gazelle, on the African savannah, being hunted by a cheetah,” says Adrienne Heinz, a psychologist at the Stanford School of Medicine. If that gazelle is going to survive, it’s going to activate its fight-or-flight response, dilating its pupils and sending its heart rate and blood pressure sky-high, giving the nervous system a little jolt to quickly escape. If the gazelle makes it to safety, it will relax—but in a scenario with a prolonged threat, the gazelle will stay stressed. “If we continue to stay keyed up with high levels of cortisol and adrenaline, then we’re like the gazelle all the time,” says Heinz. “We’re not meant to sustain this level of overload to our nervous system.”

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There are no easy solutions to pandemic fatigue and burnout. I can tell you to get more sleep, exercise regularly in whatever way you can, and keep in touch with friends and family, but that won’t fix the systemic issues driving many people’s stress: unemployment, illness, feeling overburdened by responsibilities, racism. But know that if you are struggling, you are not alone, and it’s not a personal failure to feel this way. And if you feel like giving up, take it from this Japanese fisherman: You just have to try.

[LizBeth]

1. I am not overwhelmed per se, but last night I dreamed of being around all my people and

going out and about and interacting, to lakes kayaking, restaurant. In small rooms filled with people. It was summer, people had vaccinations and the world went normal. And literally dreamed it and the big part in the dream was the fact we were done with this. It was a very comforting dream and felt incredibly good.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. yes. my wife and I have been really disciplined - this Thanksgiving (having to say no

to our daughter for Thanksgiving visit) is one of the few times where it is getting to feel really long. And we are really lucky - retired, in a place convenient for social distancing - those that are selfishly ignoring or thinking it is a hoax are just making it longer, and worse, for the rest of us.

I've yet to have a dream I remember when I am masked! (then again, although I dream a lot, I am not good at recalling them)

[LizBeth]

3. Right, it is unusual for me also. Yes, that is why it is not so tough, I am lucky in many ways

with the last handful of months isolating. In the same boat as you all the way around. We choose health and playing together this summer, instead of a Thanksgiving, and that being the end, lol. what is a handful of months, anyway, watching netflix, lol.

[Javaman]

4. I generally hate people. I'm not outgoing and have been a loner most of my life...

but even I have to admit, I'm starting to hate people just a bit less. LOL