COVID FATIGUE
We all have the same question on our minds. When is this damned pandemic going to end? I wish I had the answer. I wish you had the answer. I wish some entity in this world had an answer! Alas, so far there is no definitive answer to this question. By now I’m sure we have had enough of this plague. What we are entering is the world called Covid Fatigue. This could be an episode of the Twilight Zone because it sure does feel like it. No matter what world we are in, the facts remain the same and begs the question. How do we handle this Covid Fatigue that I’ve read about and am undergoing.? For those of us in our community we have to realize a few things.
Yes, this pandemic certainly is terrifying, life altering and uncertain. Many of us have either lost someone to it, have come down with it or know someone who has. These situations leave us in fear for a long time and in a constant state of anxiety. When we go outside we look at people in different ways than before. If someone coughs or sneezes the warning bells start clanging in our minds. We look at people who aren’t taking precautions and wonder why they are not masking up. Whether you believe this is a real disease or a hoax it does affect you in ways you might not realize. Living in these highly charged times, being cooped up in a small space or letting the news cycle preoccupy your mind is not a recipe for peaceful living. Living this way can really get to be too much. Hence, Covid Fatigue has struck.
For our community this time is different than others who do not share our burden of loss due to SUD. Our plague is still with us whether it recently has affected us or not. We have been living in a fatigue (some of us for many, many years) and it is an extra burden we have to carry. It is important for us to remember this. We may get so caught up in the Covid dilemma that somehow we do not focus our usual attention to the SUD situation. The latter is the overwhelming factor for us. So, when I find that I am not advocating about SUD all of the time I forget that Covid Fatigue may be the reason. In doing so, I am putting more stress on myself that is not warranted. For all of us who are advocating and who want to start, we have to give ourselves a break. We have to accept that even the greatest of warriors has to rest. Sometimes by stepping away from the activity for a while, we come back with renewed strength, creativity and clear headedness. Then we might be able to contribute something far greater had we not taken a break from the Covid Fatigue syndrome. We have to accept this fatigue without letting is beat us down. Look at the different beach plants facing the high winds of the ocean. They have learned to bend, so they do not break.
Peace Out