The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost everyone in some way.
Maybe you or someone you know has gotten sick from the virus. Maybe you even lost a loved one during the pandemic. For many, though, the last two years have created a slew of mental health issues.
Life as we know it has been flipped upside down. You may have lost your job or had to start working remotely. Your children might have started virtual learning, or maybe you’ve had to adapt to changes within their school system. On top of personal changes, society as a whole has undergone a major shift. Many places still require masks. Some businesses even require proof of vaccination to enter.
No matter what your stance is on any particular pandemic topic, these changes – and the constant debate that seems to go with them – has caused something many are calling “COVID fatigue.” But, what is COVID fatigue, exactly, and how could it be impacting your existing therapy process?
What is COVID Fatigue?
There’s no denying that COVID continues to be an active force in our everyday lives. It’s hard to go through a single day without hearing about it. Whether that means listening to case numbers on the news to learning about new recommendations from top health experts. It could even mean seeing debates about it on social media and feeling overwhelmed by the “back and forth” of it all.
Are you exhausted yet? If so, you’re not alone.
COVID fatigue refers to the feelings of loneliness, depression, isolation, and exhaustion due to the pandemic.
While everyone has handled things differently, chances are you’ve experienced at least one of those feelings over the last two years. Some of the common signs of this type of fatigue include feeling worn out, overwhelmed, and even frustrated that we’re not done with this yet and life isn’t back to normal.
Because mental health concerns have grown throughout the pandemic, seeing a therapist regularly is one of the best things you can do. Unfortunately, COVID fatigue could be throwing a wrench in your progress.
How Therapy is Impacted
You likely started going to therapy for a specific reason. Maybe you were struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety. Continuing with your therapy sessions through COVID is a great idea, but it might end up taking longer to learn how to manage your original symptoms.
One of the best things about going to therapy for a mental health condition is that it helps you get to the root cause of that problem.
COVID has likely caused that path to go a bit off track. If you’re experiencing COVID fatigue, your sessions may have shifted toward focusing on that.
It doesn’t mean that you’ll never get back to your original “path.” But, if COVID fatigue is impacting you now, that’s the important thing to deal with. Feeling isolated and depressed because of the pandemic can be dangerous, and your therapist will want to work with you on ways to manage those feelings before diving into deeper issues.
What Should You Do?
Don’t stop going to therapy just because things might not be progressing as quickly as you’d hoped. No one expected this pandemic to derail our lives the way it has. Staying the course with your therapist is one of the best things you can do to fight back against COVID fatigue, so you can eventually deal with other underlying concerns.
In the meantime, one of the best things you can do is to continue to take care of yourself. Make your mental and physical health a top priority.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by COVID or struggling to manage anxiety and you’re still looking for a therapist, feel free to contact me for more information or to set up an appointment. It’s important for you to know that you’re not in this alone.
