Feel like I’m walking uphill through mud every day

[Anonymous]

I feel like I’m walking uphill through mud every day. Between uncertainty at work (we’ve postponed return 4x), school, childcare, the future, the grocery store (I couldn’t find chicken anywhere last week) and the prolonged social isolation of the pandemic, I’m not coping very well. I’ve stopped drinking, cut back my caffeine, am scaling back my expectations, trying to get outside every day, etc. but it’s not helping. Anyone else? This isn’t depression, it’s just....I don’t even know. I see my single childless friends putting on KN95s (or not) and living their lives but with two unvaccinated kids I just can’t justify the movies, a bar, indoor dining, air travel, window shopping, and everything else I desperately miss.

[Anonymous]

Life with two young kids wasn’t a breeze pre-covid either. It’s hard.

My advise is definitely to keep doing what you’re doing and look for the joy in the little things. Make a gratitude list daily and try easy meditation (Headspace is great). Keep spending time outside and stay away from alcohol.

I completely changed my attitude last year after feeling similar to what you’re describing. I do feel lighter and happier. It’s all in now to look at things. This pandemic has given me a chance to really enjoy time with my young kids and I commit myself to making the most of it everyday.

[Anonymous]

You need to go out to dinner, the movies, etc. The risk to you and your kids is extremely low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to go out to dinner, the movies, etc. The risk to you and your kids is extremely low.

This is the worst possible advice during a surge in the pandemic and in the dead of winter!!!

I hear you, OP, but it is what it is. Our little ones can’t be vaccinated and we have to make our choices based on their well being.

When you can’t change your situation - change your attitude. I agree with the first poster that this is an inside job of attitude and gratitude.

Spring will be here soon.

[Anonymous]

This is truly a slog right now. My mom canceled a visit due to thr covid surge and snow, and my husband and I are postponing our 10th anniversary celebration for a time when we have a sitter and won't feel guilty going places. There isn't a lot to look forward to and the days run together.

That said, i do think it's temporary and to live with this we have to really take advantage of good weather and periods of low transmission to enjoy the things we're not doing now. This is basically like the depths of winter x10 with covid isolation. Just like winter, it will pass, and we'll live it up.

[Anonymous]

Set the table nicely and order in, either with the kids or after they go to bed.

Get coffee you really enjoy and savour it.

Try not to look or plan too far into the future. Focus on what can make your life easier and bring you joy today, or what gets you through this week.

[Anonymous]

Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

[Anonymous]

What makes you think it’s not depression? It totally sounds like situational depression to me. Your circumstances are extremely hard and are sucking lots of people into depression. It’s more unusual for people living a life like yours to not feel depressed at least occasionally.

I agree that you need to do things that being you joy, even if it exposes you to some risk. The odds of a severely negative outcome due to Covid are so small. It’s not worth avoiding that tiny risk if your mental health is this bad.

At the minimum, plan a trip. Book refundable flights and hotels or air bnbs. Assume it’s going to happen. Give yourself something to look forward to.

[Anonymous]

No snark intended- try Zoloft. It helps. I do think it sounds like mild anxiety and/or depression and it’s really rough given the current surge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

Oh Jesus, stop already with the “living your life in fear” CRAP. Is wearing a seatbelt living your life in fear? Parents of young, unvaccinated children are taking necessary precautions to keep our little kids from getting covid in any mutation. That is living your life as a good parent not living your life in fear.

No one needs to go to the fricking movies or a restaurant. Grow the f up.

[Anonymous]

Did you stop drinking recently because you were drinking too much? Your mind and body are reacting to the change. It should level out in a couple weeks.

[Anonymous]

Don’t know if this is it for you but I’m totally burned out. Sometimes feels like depression but it’s more I just need a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you stop drinking recently because you were drinking too much? Your mind and body are reacting to the change. It should level out in a couple weeks.

Nope, just realized it wasn’t helping me with sleep and giving me heartburn. I’ve taken Zoloft before and had depression in my late teens. This isn’t it, and SSRIs didn’t help me back then (tried most of them over a period of a few years). When I was depressed I couldn’t get out of bed. This is not that, it’s different. It’s like brain fog, feeling really blah and just exhausted from pretending to be an epidemiologist and judging the relative safety of pretty much everything we do for the last 2 years. I don’t want to be acting more cautiously, and would love to go to the moves, but I do not think that is a responsible
Choice right now. However, I still am having a hard time with that even though I feel I am doing what is right for my kid’s and our health care system.

[Anonymous]

FWIW we are very covid cautious and we all just had covid, including my two toddlers, and it was a blip. While I know complications can happen...this is what vaccines are for (for adults) and complications in toddlers are almost unheard of. It has really changed my perspective on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you stop drinking recently because you were drinking too much? Your mind and body are reacting to the change. It should level out in a couple weeks.

Nope, just realized it wasn’t helping me with sleep and giving me heartburn. I’ve taken Zoloft before and had depression in my late teens. This isn’t it, and SSRIs didn’t help me back then (tried most of them over a period of a few years). When I was depressed I couldn’t get out of bed. This is not that, it’s different. It’s like brain fog, feeling really blah and just exhausted from pretending to be an epidemiologist and judging the relative safety of pretty much everything we do for the last 2 years. I don’t want to be acting more cautiously, and would love to go to the moves, but I do not think that is a responsible
Choice right now. However, I still am having a hard time with that even though I feel I am doing what is right for my kid’s and our health care system.

I’m the PP who suggested Zoloft and I also had a very different manifestation of depression in my teens and less success with SSRIs. Everything about my life is different 20 years later, including how I manifest depression and my response to low dose meds.

There isn’t much I can change about the dumpster fire of parenting small kids right now but 50mg of Zoloft is helping me feel less weighed down by it all and more able to appreciate things worth appreciating. I think you should take a second look but I’ll butt out now.