To feel like this? COVID related

[Jackie2022]

Is it normal to feel like your happiness is contingent on the pandemic ending? As in, you constantly feel lower than normal but think you’ll feel better once restrictions ease, or should you feel just as happy as you were pre-pandemic?

Is it normal to feel scared/annoyed when you’re on a train and someone near you is profusely coughing without a mask, or if you’re walking and some guy spits on the ground nearby?

Is it normal to be annoyed at your housemate seeing their partner/friends regardless of restrictions?

Unsure if my feelings are justified or not. Do others feel like I do or am I being paranoid, rude, demotivated etc?

I do feel like my happiness levels would improve once covid restrictions are lifted. Mainly so my kids are educated by someone who knows what they're doing and I can have some semblance of social life and existence beyond working.

I will be frank, I don't have your levels of anxiety about catching the virus and the things you mentioned wouldn't trouble me. In the slightest.

That’s good to know, thanks. Unsure if I should contact my GP

I don’t have anxiety, particularly not about catching the virus. I’m young and healthy. I think it’s more annoyance that people get away with being gross or breaking the rules whilst I put up with the inconveniences and feel shit. If someone’s coughing on a train (profusely) I’ll just go into another carriage, I don’t dwell

I am feeling everything you are, I just assumed everyone did at the minute (except those people who are still doing whatever they want!)

I think it's normal. It's hard to feel just the same as usual when you can't meet friends, makes plans, see family... I feel jealous and resentful of people who are breaking the rules and getting to do these things.

Feel pretty similar.

I think it's normal and sensible!

I am so low right now and the only thing keeping me going is the thought of the summer and restrictions being eased.

Yes I feel similar, particularly around other people. I'm struggling to cope in supermarkets at the moment because people near me makes me feel really really angry. Obviously I can't but I literally want to push people away from me.
Click and collect for me now I think.. before I totally lose it!

I feel the first one, the other two I haven’t experienced but I would have found the second one pretty unpleasant pre-covid. I wouldn’t be scared though.

I don’t know anyone who is doing “whatever they want”, however. Most of us have no choice about most restrictions - schools, restaurants, other indoor places closed etc. You can’t access things that aren’t open.

Annoyed, rude, frustrated, demotivated, irritable...all perfectly normal...

I’m in a permanent state of irritation and how I haven’t bitten people’s heads off in meetings at work I shall never know.

More plans of mine scheduled for later this year were cancelled today. It does feel endless.

Is it normal to feel scared/annoyed when you’re on a train and someone near you is profusely coughing without a mask, or if you’re walking and some guy spits on the ground nearby?

Maybe I'm grumpier than average, but I'd be annoyed by someone coughing next to me on the train or someone spitting near me whether or not there was a pandemic. I might feel sorry for the person coughing, if they were at least trying to cover their mouth and/or looked particularly ill, but I'd still be hoping they got off soon and looking for a way to get away from them without appearing rude.

Ahhh thank you all for making me feel more normal can always rely on mn for solidarity

Yeah, it’s essentially a whirlwind of random emotions. Things that don’t bother me during normal times do now, and I can’t easily snap out of it.

I guess I shouldn’t have used “scared”, it’s more annoyance/resent. It’s like, what was the point of feeling low, making sacrifices and respectfully following rules this past year, when I could have said fuck it like X person has and been happier??

I see plenty of people breaking rules in real life, social media and even on this website. I also see people generally seeming okay or even happy, and wonder why I’m here feeling shitty. It’s really reassuring to know it’s not just me that feels this way!

@SamLovesLembasBread your post made me laugh! Very relatable.

Once (pre-pandemic) this lady sneezed like clockwork, about twice a minute. After 20 minutes it felt like we were being pranked for someone’s YouTube video! When she got off a passenger said “wheyy she’s gone” and everyone chucked. We weren’t the only ones hoping she would get off soon

Yanbu I had such a down week last week. Crying for no reason just because I felt sad. Its soooooo hard seeing pics on facebook or snapchat of all your family meeting up when you havent even seen the 1 person in your bubble for over a weeks as they feel depressed and are hibernating not leaving the house. I still get to go to the office which is something but I put on a fake happy face and can't wait to get home. To sit and do nothing.

Yup everyone I know is not quite themselves at the moment - and all of us fessing up to having a few very low days now and then.

We are all facing something pretty huge so I reckon we should congratulate ourselves on getting through it each individually as best we can ... and cut ourselves some slack on the days when we feel really rough.

I loved how the snow seemed to lift people's spirits - so very beautiful and something beyond the pandemic and everyday life