It's not just you: Why everyone is super exhausted right now

[marmar]

It's not just you: Why everyone is super exhausted right now
It's not daylight savings time: You might suffer from "Pandemic Trauma and Stress Experience," or PTSE

By NICOLE KARLIS
MARCH 18, 2021 11:02AM


(Salon) Besides being the year of the pandemic, 2020 was the year of keeping busy at home. Pandemic hobbies, as they're commonly called, substituted much of the human socializing that occupied pre-pandemic weeknights and weekends. Some people became prolific at growing the natural yeast for sourdough. Others turned to learning a musical instrument, reading more, or just binging television.

But as the era of the great indoors stretches into 2021, many people are reckoning with a more dominant emotion: exhaustion.

The experience of 62-year-old Lisa Johnson Mandell of Las Vegas epitomized this peculiar exhaustion that many have anecdotally reported on social media.

"I don't get just tired or sleepy, I find myself getting exhausted — bone tired, where I find it hard to place one foot in front of the other," Mandell said. "My limbs ache from exhaustion."

"Anyone else finding it hard to catch a break these days? So many folks are just exhausted (including me)," Dr. Desmond Upton Patton, a social work professor at Columbia University, opined on Twitter. His remark prompted a long thread of agreement from the Twitterverse. "Global fatigue," one person replied. ............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/03/18/its-not-just-you-why-everyone-is-super-exhausted-right-now/

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. I wonder how many with this symptom were more sedentary during this time?

I know I was ... I wish I hadn't been, but I was.

[rzemanfl]

3. I used to swim two or three miles a week, then I found myself driving two or three miles a week.

After we both had our first shots, I started walking with my wife. I found I could walk a mile and a half without much difficulty, but the couple of times we walked over two and half miles I had a lot of aches and pains. It is going to be a struggle to get back into shape at my age (73).

[underpants]

5. I wasn't until September.

Not super hyperactive but in really good shape.

[PSPS]

2. At least some of it is the aftereffect of having trump dominate everything for four years.

Frankly, I noticed society was collectively letting out a sigh of relief as soon as his twitter account was shuttered.

[bahboo]

6. What you said...

[underpants]

7. Without a doubt. A massive exhale and I've heard people mention it.

People at work. Not that we talk politics but I’ve heard people mention the lack of the formerly overwhelming drama.

[Arkansas Granny]

12. Four years of the former guy was a traumatic experience in itself.

The pandemic and his gross mishandling of the situation added insult to injury.

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Exactly! It's Douchebag Exhaustion Syndrome. nt

[murielm99]

4. I can hardly put one foot in front of another some days.

I want this malaise to be over. Maybe more of it will lift after I get my second shot tomorrow. However, I will not rest until everyone in my family is safe.

I care about everyone else, too. I will continue to socially distance and wear a mask. We are supposed to be a community.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. I've had both shots and there is a definite feeling of relief, but things

aren't back to normal. Maybe when family and friends are also vaccinated so we can do things together.

[Nay]

22. This. I will get my 2nd shot tomorrow, but things aren't normal. My son and

his family won't be able to get their shots for awhile, so they can't really go anywhere. (We are all in a 'pod' together, though.) It's a relief to get the shots, sure, but I still feel tired, on edge, and I REALLY need to get back to the gym . . . walking around the neighborhood isn't cutting it.

Mr Nay and I have considered doing a bit of camping this spring, but we know that every place will be totally crowded with people who haven't been out of the house for a year, just like us. We think the crowds will negate any enjoyment of the drive, the campgrounds, etc. We don't know if we'll feel like braving the mobs.

[Wicked Blue]

8. Stress is a big part of it

When your neck and face muscles and many other muscles are tense all day from worrying, it is exhausting.

[lagomorph777]

20. Yes!

[spooky3]

9. Some of us had to work more hours and received a cut in pay

to keep our employers afloat. Sourdough bread? Hobbies? No, we’re exhausted from more work and having to be an emotional bedrock for others who needed that.

[happybird]

10. Yep. That's where I am at

On my days off, I sleep 12+ hours a day and rarely get any housework done.

I’m so tired all the time.

I should be rolling in cash from all the hours worked, but I am making about half of what I did before the pandemic (no tables to wait on = no tip money).

Can’t wait until things go back to normal.

[spooky3]

11. I hear you. I hope the better days ahead arrive soon. Nt

[Eko]

16. Seriously.

Sourdough bread and Hobbies sound awesome now instead of doing retail with less people and more sales, dealing with customers who think the signs at the door telling them they have to wear a mask that covers their face and mouth is just a suggestion, dealing with employees that got covid and worrying about them and the rest of us while,,,,,, fuck it. No reason to even say any more. There are people with sourdough bread and hobby problems that far outweigh all the rest of us who had to work through this let alone what the medical community went through. Shit.

[marie999]

14. We were starting to get our lives a little bit back to normal

when 2 weeks ago, our daughter had trouble breathing. Paramedics took her to the local hospital and after x-rays, sent her to Duke University Hospital. She has stage 4 lung cancer, blood clots in her brain, and cancer in her left hip bones. She just had her first chemo. I had to leave the house at 7 AM to get her to Duke and got home at 9 PM. She has 3 more treatments 3 weeks apart. My husband will take her next time and her brothers and sister will take her after that. The disease is fatal, but the chemo might give her 2 more years.

[Skittles]

17. oh dear

I am so sorry......I wonder about articles like this - while I know pandemic living has been stressful in some degree for everyone, it's the people who have severe issues ON TOP OF THAT who I worry about.....just remember someone is always here on DU, we are here for you

[marie999]

18. Thank you

[lagomorph777]

21. I'm so sorry!

I have always enjoyed your kind and insightful posts.

You deserve better.

Best wishes to your daughter.

[marie999]

24. Thank you

[live love laugh]

25. I'm so sorry for your family's heartache. Sending prayers 🙏🏽

for the best possible outcome.

[marie999]

26. Thank you, I final understand when people say, I wish it was me not her.

Being in pain is one thing, but watching your child in pain is so much worse. And I know it is not just me. All these people seeing their loved ones die from Covid-19 when so many of those deaths did not need to happen. For everything Trump did none of it is as bad as what he didn't do.

[marie999]

27. Update

2 days after the chemo her pain became so great that the doctors could not relieve her for more than an hour at a time. Today the scan showed cancer metastasized to her brain. 5 days of pain was too much for her and she decided on Hospice care. The doctor told us that Hospice can give her much stronger pain medications. She should have very little pain for the next 2 to 3 months she has left.

[BigmanPigman]

19. If you have experienced a death during Covid

it is a double hit, even if the death wasn't Covid related.

[Martin68]

23. Ive found that if I'm feeling sleepy, a walk outdoors does wonders.

I'm lucky I live on 2 acres of wooded land. Made a trail around the property once I got stir crazy because of Covid. I walk around and around.