The CoVid-19 pandemic has thrusted the entire world into experiencing collective loss and grief. For some, this is their first experience with these emotions and they have little to no prior losses to inform them of what to expect. In this two-part series, we cover what grief and loss can look like during the pandemic (part 1) and also how to cope (part 2).
Covid fatigue, also known in popular media as pandemic fatigue, does not involve being physically tired. Rather, Covid fatigue is a complex group of emotions that involves any combination of the following:
It is important to realize that most of us will experience one or more of these emotions at different times throughout this challenging pandemic. This is normal and to be expected. Covid fatigue is only problematic when it leads to undesirable behaviors and actions that violate public health recommendations. For example, people who feel lonely and bored might seek out large social gatherings like large parties or crowded bars. People who feel anger and resentment at local health recommendations or restrictions might reject social distancing or mask guidelines.