Dealing with
COVID Fatigue
By
Barrington H. Brennen, November 11, 2020
We
are all tired of the Corona virus 2019 (COVID 19). It
smacked us right in our faces. We did not plan for this.
Most, if not all of us, have never experienced or
envisioned during our lifetime, that there could be any
kind of world-wide pandemic or disaster that can
actually cripple economies and cause the death of so
many people.
For many years, my wife and I have been taking an early
morning swim on a lovely beach on the north shore of New
Providence, The Bahamas. Each morning we would notice at
least three giant cruise ships jockeying to be the first
in line to dock and the wharf. Many times, I have
thought or spoken out loud these words: “If one day
these cruise ships stop coming, our nation would be in
trouble.” I never, ever thought it could really happen.
Over the years, I have watched on international
television stations, citizens in some countries who
naturally wear facial masks in public when they are sick
as a natural part of their culture. I would chuckle to
myself stating in my mind “What a strange practice.”
Now, the whole world is “strange.” We are all wearing
masks.
I
have passed by our public health clinics and noticed the
unusual crowds of people early in the morning who are
having trepidations about whether or not they have
symptoms of the coronavirus. Sometimes we forget about
the seemingly unbearable task the health professionals
are facing every single day, twenty-four hours a day.
During the early months of this pandemic, some
front-line medical professionals did not even go to
their homes for weeks at a time because they feared they
would spread the virus to their family members.
Aren’t we all tired of this? Yes, we are. Many of us are
physically and emotionally exhausted. Some are fearful
of the future. The nation is experiencing COVID fatigue.
There are ways to mange the fatigue even when some
cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here are
a few tips to help deal with COVID Fatigue.
Here are a few tips from University of California Health and a
few of my own.
-
Live the moment. Avoid worrying about the
next day, week or month. Seek to get the best out of
what you have today, no matter how small it is, no
matter how dim the future looks for you. “Don’t look
too far down the road. Realize you will have good
days and bad days, or good moments and bad moments.
Realize these things can come in waves. It is OK to
say, “Right now, it’s bad.” Think about what you can
do to feel better.”
-
Exercise. Exercise is one of the best ways to
manage COVID fatigue. Here is a quote from UC Davis
Health: “Experts say exercise is the best thing we
can do for coping with COVID-19. Even a simple walk
can help. Exercise releases endorphins, which
relieve stress and boost our sense of pleasure.
Exercise also channels out adrenaline when
frustration builds up. If the air quality is bad
outside, try a yoga or workout video inside your
home.
-
Talk. Talk, Talk. Talk about your
frustrations “Finding someone – family, friend or
professional – to talk to about your frustrations
and anxieties is extremely helpful. Ignoring
feelings or emotions does not make them go away –
eventually they will all come exploding out and you
won’t have as much control.”
-
Engage in constructive thinking. “Be
compassionate with yourself and others. Feelings
come from our thoughts about the situation, and
although we can’t change the situation, we can
adjust our thinking. Remind yourself, “I’m doing the
best I can.”
-
Practice mindfulness and gratitude. Try being
in the moment, breathing and looking around at what
you have. The more you do this, the easier it gets.
We put ourselves through a lot of unnecessary misery
projecting into the future or ruminating about the
past. For now, just take life day by day. Savannah
Koplon of the University of Alabama states: “Another
concerning aspect of COVID-19 fatigue and protocol
mindfulness is a person’s desire to see others and
either attending or hosting gatherings of all sizes.
If mask wearing and social distancing are not
followed even in smaller group settings, the ripple
effect of case spread can be impactful.
-
Laugh, laugh, laugh. “There’s a healthy
physical reaction to laughing. Laughter can actually
induce physical changes in the body and can even set
you up for overall long-term health. If nothing
else, put on your favorite comedy or read through
the comics in the newspaper.” Laughter also helps
the body to release white blood cells that fight
against diseases.
Fellow citizens and residents, each one of us can fight
this corona virus and reduce its vicious spread and
havoc. Worry and indiscipline will exacerbate the
problem. It will explode the fatigue and lead to wider
community fear and panic. Stop. We can do this. Be calm.
We can do this.
The country needs your help. You need your help. Let us
all be disciplined by following the protocols of wearing
masks in public, washing of hand frequently, and
physical distancing, etc. Let us fight the fatigue.
Barrington H. Brennen is a marriage and family
therapist. Send you comments or question sot
question@soencouragement.org
or call 327 1980
