Plague Fatigue. Recently I saw a very funny meme on Facebook where there was a stretch of mountains and threatening to cause trouble was the Stay Puft Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters. The caption for the meme was titled “Coming Up Next in 2020.” Although the picture is very funny (in my opinion) it is also poignant. Plague Fatigue.
I have several clients who basically have resigned to staying in their homes as the continuing COVID19 pandemic is going on and riots in a reaction to the treatment and death of George Floyd. There have not only been riots across the country, but the entire world as people have protested against George Floyd for the past two weeksOne headline that scared one of my clients was an article about defunding the police in Minneapolis and the potential effects that would come from it. Many think crimes will increase while experts assure that social programs in place will prevent increased crime. How can you cope with multiple cataclysmic events while living your day to day life? Plague Fatigue.
One of my clients who lives in Charlotte, NC witnessed a person being shot and killed during one of the riots. This person’s reaction was to close up shop and go somewhere else where they can bide their time. That is terrific for someone who has the means to close up and move. What options are there when options are limited?
The first thing you need is to make sure you are getting daily necessities. Are you getting regular and restorative sleep? Are you getting adequate nutrition? Most importantly, are you safe? One of my favorite aspects of this time of year is I will take a week off for vacation. Not everyone can do that though. Do you feel like you could benefit from time off to rest?
Another aspect to consider is if you have any kind of support system or not. Do you have friends and/or family you can process things with? Many people who do not do well in this area is when they feel they can face a crisis alone and does not need the help of other people. That never ends well.
2020 has been an incredibly hard year and it is not even July. Nothing happening now has not happened in the past 100 years. There is no one answer on how we can all get through this. How are you feeling living during these circumstances? What has helped you the most?
If you are looking for a therapist near you and a Google search is a great way of finding one. I happen to be a therapist in Charlotte, NC but am licensed to counsel anyone in the state of North Carolina. In Google, try looking for “psychotherapist,” “find therapist,” “therapy near me,” or even “counseling charlotte, nc.” If you feel like you have hit a wall you are not able to get past, call me at (704) 458-6298 or email me at jeffhelms@clearerthoughtspllc.com.
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