Posted on 05/18/2021 5:30:04 PM PDT by lightman
Many Americans felt relief and joy at the announcement last week that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks at many indoor and outdoor locations.
But don't be surprised if those good feelings come tinged with stress or worry: Mental health experts said in a HealthDay Now interview that the COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting mark on people's psyches, and folks will be struggling with lingering worry for some time to come.
"There's actually such a thing as post-COVID-19 stress disorder, which is along the lines of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]," said Sherry Amatenstein, a psychotherapist based in New York City.
"We lived for over a year with such fear and such uncertainty. Your body doesn't know what to do. Our cues are all mixed up. Suddenly what was verboten is supposed to be OK again. How do you react?" Amatenstein said. RELATED WHO: COVID-19 pandemic 'long way from over' despite vaccination efforts
Amatenstein speaks from personal experience. She's been fully vaccinated since February, but only now is starting to step back into public.
"I just actually did my first outdoor dining experience, taking a friend out for her birthday," Amatenstein said. "I told myself, 'well, look where I was a year ago and look where I am now. How did I do that?'"
Everyone is dealing with their pandemic year through a process very similar to the stages of grief, said Dr. Vivian Pender, president of the American Psychiatric Association.
During the past year, people have felt protest and shock and denial regarding the pandemic's many impacts on their lives, Pender said, and some now are moving forward with acceptance and reconciliation.
"That's, I think, happening to everyone. For those who have acknowledged that this has gone on, there's still been a tremendous loss -- loss of their way of life, loss or at least change at work, and change or loss of relationships as well," Pender said.
"I think the general impact of having a worldwide pandemic is going to take a long time for us to reconcile," Pender concluded. RELATED CDC: 2-dose COVID-19 vaccines 94% effective at preventing symptomatic illness
Amatenstein had a tougher pandemic road to travel than most. She was diagnosed with cancer about a month before New York City closed down in the face of the nation's first severe COVID-19 outbreak.
"I had to be in isolation, go to all my treatments alone, I had to have a COVID-19 test before every round of chemo, so it was very scary," she said.
Amatenstein completed her cancer treatment in October, but despite being healthy and fully vaccinated she's been hesitant to resume her life as before.
"It's difficult, especially when you have experienced trauma and fear yourself, to then venture out and start to live a somewhat 'normal life' when things are safer," Amatenstein said. "I was very grateful and remain very grateful that I did get my vaccine, but it didn't mean that my life changed very much, at least for a while."
For many people, they will ease back into regular life along with the "pod" of friends and family to whom they have been limited during the pandemic.
"A lot of people are still in their pods, their pods are getting vaccinated, and then you venture out little by little, step by step," Amatenstein said. "You know, when you're diving in the pool, make sure there's water in the pool."
However, Amatenstein counsels her patients that while they might have lost some things to the pandemic, they have gained others.
"I tell people all the time, what are the gains you've gotten from this?" Amatenstein said. "I was always afraid to be alone. I would do anything just so I wouldn't have to be alone and face the noise in my head."
For others, the pandemic showed them that life doesn't necessarily need to always move at a frantic pace.
"It's allowed them to step back and say, well, I don't have to be busy for the sake of being busy," Amatenstein said. "You can learn to more appreciate time and freedom, and what you really do value and enjoy doing in your life."
Pender agreed that for its stresses and challenges, the pandemic also brought some needed perspective to many people.
"Some people have taken stock of what's important to them and how they were living their lives, and have redirected the way they're going to go about their future," Pender said. "They've changed jobs and relationships and they're going in a more positive direction -- at least that's their intent."
The hard part will be putting up with the narcissistic virtue signaling concern trolls swanning around with their new diagnosis. Gag.
“Everyone is dealing with their pandemic year through a process very similar to the stages of grief, said Dr. Vivian Pender, president of the American Psychiatric Association.
During the past year, people have felt protest and shock and denial regarding the pandemic’s many impacts on their lives, Pender said, and some now are moving forward with acceptance and reconciliation.
“That’s, I think, happening to everyone. For those who have acknowledged that this has gone on, there’s still been a tremendous loss — loss of their way of life, loss or at least change at work, and change or loss of relationships as well,” Pender said.”
Not everyone, Pender. I never stopped going out to eat, never stopped maskless family gatherings, never wore a mask outdoors.
The saddest part is it showed just how many sheeple there are, everywhere
that is, how many people are gullible and easily-controlled by Media propaganda ... how many don’t have common sense and can’t see that they’re being played ... and this crisis showed that there are LOTS
now that’s scary
Me neither. The only grief I experiences was watching a nation of freaking sheep hand over their freedom so that China and their willing accomplice congressmen and governors could crush our economy and rid the world of Trump.
What I find unsettling is the number of people still clinging to wearing the mask. I get some should wear one but the shear number of those unwilling to shed the face diaper is disturbing.
Yup. These people are weak simpletons. They gave up their freedom to a bunch of dopey politicians, and now they’re confused and shiftless when they’re allowed to be normal, free Americans. It’s pathetic.
God helps those that help themselves. If they want compassion, then they should embrace the Lord, and ask him to give them the strength to go on, after they bought into all the bullshit.
And then I returned to normal.
Gee, that is funny, my understanding of the faith is to love one another. I find it a little sad that if you profess to be faithful that you are incapable of loving as Christ as loved us.
Something to think about.
Went two places today without a mask.
People seemed so happy to see me.
What a bunch of bedwetters.
Something to think about. I don't have to love, nor have compassion for the Nazis who are running our government, nor their putrid followers who will be suffering from the PTSD they brought on themselves. The Lord works in strange ways. Maybe their torment is their punishment for their unending wickedness. One can only hope.
I need to relocate among adults. I'm on the edge of an urban area and urbanization breeds infantilism.
+1
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?”
Matthew 5:43 - 46
Perhaps you would like to reconsider your words after marking and inwardly digesting the words of the Savior.
Just wait til they close us all down again with the inevitable variants. This so called return to normal is merely temporary.
Thanks for the religious lesson, but I’ll take it up with the man upstairs when my time has come. He’s the one who will judge me. No one else.
And yet you judge others. I will pray that you to open your heart to the discernment of the Holy Scripture that you may follow the word of our Savior.
Peace.
I didn’t ask you to pray for me, so please don’t. I can talk to the Lord any time I want. Go help someone who actually needs help, like one of those helpless lefties who has hated God their whole life.
We’ve seen glimpses of it here and there in the past, but the days of Idiocracy have now fully arrived.
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