Feeling Hopeless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had been trying to stay afloat this entire pandemic, since everything shut down in March. Tried to find ways to find the silver lining in everything--in early 2020 it was spending more time with my kids outside on hikes throughout the DMV, in the fall of 2020 it was being thankful I had the resources to send my youngest to private (for just that year) so he could at least attend school in person, in the winter of 2020 it was feeling hopeful about the vaccines that were about to be released even though we couldn't gather when friends and family at the time, and earlier this year it was feeling hopeful about having received that vaccine even as things started to look grim again with Delta. And now, now with Omicron I've lost all hope. My hope has run out and I'm completely spent. I feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown. I'm facing my youngest being home again and being socially isolated (because he is socially isolated when he's not in school and school is everything to him). We had been planning for an event for the end of February that I had been looking forward to so much and just had to cancel after months of going back and forth on whether we can/can't do this and being encouraged earlier on in the year even through Delta that things would be fine, and this was just the last straw for me. I mean when does this end? When can we just get back to normal life? And yes these problems are miniscule compared to people who have lost family members, lost their jobs, lost their homes, have suffered emotionally/mentally, but in my little corner of the world, I am just completely lost and my hope has run out and I don't even know how to find the silver lining anymore. Yes, I'm healthy, I have a job, I have a great family ,etc. but even being happy about those things are not enough anymore. I just want all the stress and tension around this to end. I'm exhausted by this and don't even know how to feel happy about life right now because we aren't really living. We're stuck in this perpetual state of uncertainty and I can't take it anymore.

I absolutely feel your pain OP. I was exactly where you are a few weeks ago.
But then I and everyone in my family and a lot of other people I know got covid, and I suddenly felt better! I felt like the end is really in sight!! Because we weren't very ill, all vaccinated, but everyone got it!
This means, IMHO, that the pandemic is pretty close to being over. Once everyone gets this thing (and let's face it, most of us are going to get it), then we'll all be basically immune, and it's going to stop. It will be an annual problem, like the flu, that a few people will get, but it won't hit most of us because we've all got natural immunity combined with vaccines.
The end is in sight, OP. Hang in there. It's' going to end, and pretty soon.

I don’t feel this way because I’m fully vaccinated and I got Covid,
Delta, at an outdoor small wedding and was sick as a dog. Three months later, about to get boosted after waiting the 90 days - I have omnicron and I am very sick. I am so so so so so frustrated.

[Anonymous]

Let yourself wallow a bit. Feel bad. Fee sad. Let your kid watch tv more than they should and then gather yourself. Pull yourself together because failing to do so would be failing yourself and your children. People have survived much worse with their sense of hope and joy in tact and you can too. Read their stories if you need to. This will end. You will make it. Your kid will be fine and happy again. You got this. You totally do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try leaving this area for a few days. You'll be amazed by all the folks living their lives fairly normally if you get out of this crazy DC bubble.

+ 1 million

[Anonymous]

Hugs 🤗

[Anonymous]

Hang in there, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had been trying to stay afloat this entire pandemic, since everything shut down in March. Tried to find ways to find the silver lining in everything--in early 2020 it was spending more time with my kids outside on hikes throughout the DMV, in the fall of 2020 it was being thankful I had the resources to send my youngest to private (for just that year) so he could at least attend school in person, in the winter of 2020 it was feeling hopeful about the vaccines that were about to be released even though we couldn't gather when friends and family at the time, and earlier this year it was feeling hopeful about having received that vaccine even as things started to look grim again with Delta. And now, now with Omicron I've lost all hope. My hope has run out and I'm completely spent. I feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown. I'm facing my youngest being home again and being socially isolated (because he is socially isolated when he's not in school and school is everything to him). We had been planning for an event for the end of February that I had been looking forward to so much and just had to cancel after months of going back and forth on whether we can/can't do this and being encouraged earlier on in the year even through Delta that things would be fine, and this was just the last straw for me. I mean when does this end? When can we just get back to normal life? And yes these problems are miniscule compared to people who have lost family members, lost their jobs, lost their homes, have suffered emotionally/mentally, but in my little corner of the world, I am just completely lost and my hope has run out and I don't even know how to find the silver lining anymore. Yes, I'm healthy, I have a job, I have a great family ,etc. but even being happy about those things are not enough anymore. I just want all the stress and tension around this to end. I'm exhausted by this and don't even know how to feel happy about life right now because we aren't really living. We're stuck in this perpetual state of uncertainty and I can't take it anymore.

I've been back to normal since June of 2020. If you are not in a risk group then why are you living in fear? Your mindset is much more lethal than covid (assuming you are not a 70yr old unvaccinated diabetic)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try leaving this area for a few days. You'll be amazed by all the folks living their lives fairly normally if you get out of this crazy DC bubble.

+ 1 million

Yep. Get out of The DC area even if it’s a short trip. The mindset here is toxic.

[Anonymous]

Not alone OP. This pandemic has changed my life for the worse financially, and I'm no typical DCUMer making 6 figures here. The financial uncertainty has had me in knots and given me extreme feelings of worthlessness, worrying if I'll have enough money each month to cover expenses. In the last 6 months, things looked so much better but now with Omicron, I'm back to worrying. No matter how big or 'small' or own personal pandemic struggles, it's hard all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try leaving this area for a few days. You'll be amazed by all the folks living their lives fairly normally if you get out of this crazy DC bubble.

+ 1 million

We visited family in Houston for Thanksgiving. My goodness, what a breath of fresh air and so much fun. They're vaxxed and boosted, wear masks as needed and all but so much more laid back about going out to restaurants and other indoor activities.

[Anonymous]

Just go back to normal life OP. Just do it! Get your vaccines and boosters and get your kids vaccinated and get back out there, one step at a time. Go shopping for groceries in person. Then to the mall. Then a restaurant, or the gym, or a coffee shop. Maybe you’re not ready for air travel or huge events or concerts yet but you can start with the small stuff and it’ll make a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just go back to normal life OP. Just do it! Get your vaccines and boosters and get your kids vaccinated and get back out there, one step at a time. Go shopping for groceries in person. Then to the mall. Then a restaurant, or the gym, or a coffee shop. Maybe you’re not ready for air travel or huge events or concerts yet but you can start with the small stuff and it’ll make a huge difference.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just go back to normal life OP. Just do it! Get your vaccines and boosters and get your kids vaccinated and get back out there, one step at a time. Go shopping for groceries in person. Then to the mall. Then a restaurant, or the gym, or a coffee shop. Maybe you’re not ready for air travel or huge events or concerts yet but you can start with the small stuff and it’ll make a huge difference.

OP here--I AM back to normal life. My kids are vaccinated, we are boosted, and we are out and about. We're not hiding, but decisions that are being made by others are limiting our return to normal life. My risk tolerance is high--I'm ready to get back to normal life and have been back to normal, but now things are sliding backwards again and it's leaving me defeated, deflated, feeling hopeless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just go back to normal life OP. Just do it! Get your vaccines and boosters and get your kids vaccinated and get back out there, one step at a time. Go shopping for groceries in person. Then to the mall. Then a restaurant, or the gym, or a coffee shop. Maybe you’re not ready for air travel or huge events or concerts yet but you can start with the small stuff and it’ll make a huge difference.

OP here--I AM back to normal life. My kids are vaccinated, we are boosted, and we are out and about. We're not hiding, but decisions that are being made by others are limiting our return to normal life. My risk tolerance is high--I'm ready to get back to normal life and have been back to normal, but now things are sliding backwards again and it's leaving me defeated, deflated, feeling hopeless.

I understand. I had to come to the same realization myself. I don’t think we’ll see any large scale closures or cancellations. I mean, California is about to lose the Super Bowl because of their restrictions, the NFL is considering moving it to AT&T stadium where the Cowboys play. So there are consequences to all the closures at this point.

I think, unfortunately, you have to just keep doing what you’re doing and if your friends or family aren’t joining you or are declining play dates or whatever, that’s on them. You can’t control other people. Some people are loving the lockdown lifestyle and don’t want to make any changes and some are just legitimately anxious. That’s a them problem, not a you problem.

[Anonymous]

I thought our half-assed pandemic response measures would get us through this pandemic - even if a little more slowly than necessary. Now omicron is raging, making it clear that just a shit ton of people are not going to get out of this alive and even more are going to have long-term problems.

[Anonymous]

After nearly passing out from wearing an N95 during a pregnancy ultrasound today, I came home and totally lost my sh*t. I’m 8 months along and when I got pregnant in May, everything looked so much more optimistic. Now I’m facing delivering during the absolute height of the pandemic in DC and I’ve spent 2 years basically isolated from friends and family, not enjoying life. I’m triple vaxxed and will probably get covid anyway, and my baby might get it in the first few days of life, too. WTF. I’m just not doing well and I commiserate so much with you, OP. I should have kept my Christmas tree up for some joy.