PANDEMIC FATIGUE?

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By What Therapy

Are you experiencing pandemic fatigue? You aren’t alone.

Someone asked in a FB group whether there is a special kind of loneliness for Generators that comes from being isolated. If you aren’t familiar with Human Design, Generators are here to respond, to life. They also respond to questions from other people. So this person is wondering if social distancing and other isolating effects are the reason for her loneliness? Perhaps she’s wondering if she feels a lack of energy and life force because what she feels she can respond to has been reduced.

Has the isolation and lockdown measures affected you? Are you struggling with feeling lonely and poor mental health?

Both Generators and Manifesting Generators have a defined sacral energy centre. Their design is to respond to life. They make up 70% or so of the population so there’s a good chance you are one. That’s not to say, the pandemic hasn’t also affected other aura types. (You can find your aura type on JovianArchive.com)

The pandemic has affected everyone.

Many families remain separated due to travel restrictions, border closures, and long quarantine requirements. Masses of people have lost their jobs and many small- and medium-sized businesses have closed down. And of course, many people have lost someone. From the virus, from other causes including suicide and accident, from a lack of early treatment, not getting other needed medical treatment and operations, breakthrough infections…Did you know that CDC has now admitted over 75% of deaths in the US were “with” the virus, rather than “from” it?

The question is how are you in this pandemic? In this article, we focus on pandemic fatigue. If you are struggling with the loss of someone or your job, what’s down as “long covid”, or feeling a hit on your mental health, please do seek support and professional help.

How the Pandemic May be Affecting You

If you search for “pandemic fatigue” you can find articles as early as August 2020. Many people saw mental health effects even before then.

Most people are equipped to deal with crisis in the short-term. Chronic stress is a different animal, especially when we are using coping strategies to “get through”, many of which are not healthy. Are you navigating from your inner authority and inner truth to align with what’s correct for you, regardless of what your (rational) mind tells you? Facing reality as it is can bring up discomfort and anger.

Many people also find it difficult to deal with grief, loss, and death. Our mortality is something humans generally struggle with. It’s not really a done-and-dusted process and over time, it shifts. We may also try to protect ourselves from feeling deeply, afraid to touch other unhealed wounds. Then there is the shock, and mingled with that may be regret, shame, and guilt, depending on the circumstances, including how things were left with the other person. In addition, for a long time, loved ones were not allowed to stay by the bedside. Still today, there are many restrictions about visiting and choice and availability of treatment.

Perhaps we had a strong support network to lean into. At a time when we need our friends, family, and allies, with the restrictions, both personal and professional support was suddenly unavailable. Even taking nature walks which is known to improve mental health was out of the picture in many places.

Part of a healthy response is to process our feelings. With constant reporting of cases and deaths and new and often confusing and conflicting information, it may have seemed like there was always something else to process. The stability many of us previously enjoyed became a privilege and really a matter of mindset. The constant fear we were all subjected to also led many to be hyper-vigilant. This leaves our nervous system activated and our adrenals burdened.

Given the censorship, many people are becoming increasingly frustrated and angry. Which experts are correct? Studies show that these “new normal routines” do not prevent transmission.

Uncertainty, confusion, constantly changing goalposts and definitions, along with isolation for many people, is exhausting.

What may pandemic fatigue look like?

  • exhaustion
  • insomnia, oversleeping, or still exhausted even if sleeping “enough”
  • existential angst
  • irritation, impatience, and being quick to anger
  • feeling of being trapped and unmotivated
  • feeling isolated
  • hopelessness
  • burnout
  • frustration
  • chronic stress and being stressed by everyday things that weren’t stressful before
  • ruminating thoughts and constant worries
  • excess consumption of food, drugs, and alcohol as well as using forms of escapism
  • brain fog and inability to concentrate
  • finding a lack of enjoyment in things that previously were for you
  • disillusionment (which is one of the seven phases in disaster response)

Suggestions for dealing with pandemic fatigue

New Mindset

One of the most important ways to deal with pandemic fatigue is a mindset change. For a long time, there was talk about returning to normal. As the “two weeks to flatten the curve” extended into months and now years, that hope that so many people held onto was slowly and painfully extinguished. For anyone still hoping for the old normal, understanding that the world has irrevocably changed will help them move on and direct their life force to creating a new one.

Some people see these times as chaos; we can remember that there is always divine order. Within seeming chaos lies great opportunities to realign ourselves and create a new world by living as who we are. Many of us have felt like a lone wolf, a black sheep, outsiders, and the descendant of the witches they tried to burn – we are all unique and it’s time we stepped into who that is, rather than live as a shadow. Are you tired of trying to please other people or fit into a world that wants us to conform?

Self Care

Self care has become an industry buzz word in recent years. What it is is highly subjective and individual and varies with what a person requires. Feeling good, relaxed, and maybe even pampered is one aspect. The key is to recognize when we are avoiding facing life. Or when we are merely doing enough “de-stressing” and “de-toxing” to keep pushing our way through and re-toxing. Addressing our needs to replenish, rejuvenate, relax, and nourish is always important. What the pandemic perhaps has shown you is what your priorities are. Maybe in losing your job, you’ve come to realize just how much of your life force was put on something that dulled and exhausted you, rather than nourished you. The nature of working and the workforce is being transformed. As we approach 2027 and the end of a tribal- and planning-dominated cycle, we will continue to see many of these changes continue.

My Own Practice

As a Jin Shin Jyutsu and Quantum Biofeedback practitioner, I have a regular practice myself. I hold my fingers (try it!) and do various flows to release energetic blocks and to centre myself, as well as supporting my body on the material level. I also run biofeedback sessions on myself and my partner. In October, 2020, I also led a 3-month workshop exploring Jin Shin Jyutsu, including the adjustment flows for the Spleen, Stomach, and Bladder Function Energies. These clear the front and back of the body, as well as showering it with solar energy. Incorporating Human Design and HeartMath into my Jin Shin sessions, I’ve also been coaching people on how to ground, balance, and centre themselves. They are also able to more clearly see where external pressures and conditioning influences show up for them. Understanding their design and having effective tools has helped many people, as it has supported me on my human experience.

Information Intake

According to UCLA Health, a healthy way to cope with pandemic fatigue is to limit your news intake to one hour or less each day. Chances are, you were already not watching news very much. With the global events, you may instead of upped your intake to keep on top of what’s going on. If this is you, reconsider the amount and quality of news you expose yourself to. One of the podcasts we listen to is The Higherside Chats. Take everything with a grain of salt.

Information is not only news. It’s everything we take in through our senses. Are you binging on Netflix? Or perhaps consuming sweet foods, online experiences, or material goods? What is actually missing in your life? What fears are you trying to calm?

Explore the sources of your Stress

We are good at acclimating to new levels of stress. This doesn’t mean we have a healthy response. Some sources of stress can be eliminated by shifting our mindset and focus. Others appear more challenging. Maybe you’ve chosen to homeschool or unschool your child during these past two years. Or maybe you’ve resigned or have been fired due to non-compliance and finances are a stress.

Do you have effective ways to rebalance your nervous system? Are you able to face what’s bothering you in a healthy way? Do you know how to make decisions based on your inner truth?

If not, here are a few suggestions to explore:

Connect with Others

The events, including the restrictions and the narrative, have been highly divisive. Many friendships and other relationships have ended and many people are now estranged from their families. Arguments about so many aspects of what’s going on have become volatile. Perhaps we’ve come to realize that some relationships were past their life force anyway. Or they were birthed for convenience or out of necessity, or a reason that no longer exists. On the other hand, it is an opportunity to learn to respect other people’s choices. We are social beings and connection with others is an essential part of our human experience. Through relationships, we learn about ourselves, and grow.

Physical social distancing and the demonization of certain demographics have left many people weary, and even fearful of others. It’s time to connect with other people. We can choose this opportunity to have relationships that are correct for us.

Most of us are too young to have been in a prolonged global event. How have you been navigating these times? Has your mindset and approach shifted from when it began? If you are struggling with pandemic fatigue, I invite you to explore these suggestions. Also know that we may need professional help.

What Therapy / About Author
What Therapy is a platform focused on sharing ideas, tools, and resources for a well-lived life. The information we deliver to our readers comes from ancient traditions and modern technology, and infused with spirituality. Always underlined by the energy of positivity, collaboration, and holism, our topics are wide ranging because well, humans are curious and multifaceted.
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