Originally Posted by
DarkShadow
Well, unnecessary anxiety definitely, especially how the pandemic seemingly ripped the facade off this nation, and exposed a lot. You have individuals who refuse to wear masks, because it goes against their 'freedoms,' but yet will take their shoes off at the airport for the rest of their life when they travel or will fasten their seat belt when they get in their care, without thinking about their freedoms in those instances. I get anxious at people who talk about the virus in a 'past' tense, as if it will not continue affecting us through out the next year. Those are the same who think that vaccines have rolled out, the pandemic is over. I get anxious at the way the younger generation (in some parts of the country) couldn't fathom social distancing, and were the first people to suffer from "Covid fatigue," and continued packing indoor venues. I get anxious at the way politicians managed to politicize the pandemic and I get anxious on how some of the populous refused to believe the doctors and immunologists and infectious disease specialists, because agreeing with their analysis would somehow get them labeled a 'liberal.' I get anxious on how our federal government refused to lift a finger, and have a game plan in December of 2019 when we first were getting information regarding the virus. I get anxious on how there are some who still think the virus is a hoax. I get anxious that local governments were left with fending for themselves, and how many dropped the ball by over reaching restrictions that unduly affected local economies and shuttered mom and pop businesses all over. i get anxious that during the pandemic, the rich got richer while the working class were thrown a measly $1200. I get anxious watching other countries handle the pandemic a lot better than we are.
Didn't effect me much, mostly because I am a introvert and prefer smaller crowds. I'm getting to work from home, which is good and I hope that telecommuting becomes the norm for certain sectors, especially those who can perform that majority of their duties from home. The stress of a 3 hour daily commute is removed, the stress of having helicoptering management buzzing over my cubicle removed. Worker productivity has increased, and quality of life has increased. Remember how smogless LA was there for a few? All it took was getting commuters off the roads, imagine that.
It's affected me because I've found who my true friends were, the ones who continually reached out during the pandemic to make sure everything was on the up and up, and I also realized that other certain individuals were "friends" just due to proximity and convenience, not because of a real friendship. I also learned that there are some individuals who desperately need the daily validation of other people in order not to be depressed, and I've learned there are a lot of individuals who have never been comfortable with themselves, and by themselves, and who suffered greatly having to spend time with themselves. I've realized that when a pandemic hits, you truly realize who the essential workers are. So, there's been a lot of elucidation that has occurred in the last few months, and in the months to come and it's definitely helped me grow as a person.
Lots of marijuana.
(I kid)
Well, I did a lot of fishing this year, and now I realize that when my fishing closet is disorganized, my mental health is very organized. With my local forests burned down, I found myself dusting off the bass gear, and dusting off all these Japanese lures that I spent my entire life collecting and never using. Getting out on the water was mental therapy.
It did help that I'm very 'outdoor' oriented and staying safe these past few months has been a priority, obviously, since I do actually understand that just because I'm not in a high risk category of fatality due to the virus, I don't wanna be a silent spreader of the virus, simply because I feel the need to hang out with others. So, it was easy to grab the backpacking tent and some food, and spend days out in the woods, catching trout till the sun came down, and spending some quality time around the fire with a book and my thoughts.
2020 has definitely been surreal, but really hasn't had any mental effect, except the general anxiety that comes when an entire nation is going through a state of revelation and reckoning and you see peoples' true colors shining through.