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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How has Covid changed you?

85 replies

L0stinCyberspace · 22/09/2021 21:41

Been working in spare room for 18 months with some massive stressors during that time (including a friend taking her own life) and I realise I'm a profoundly different version of myself returning to the office.

I'd imagine I'm not alone in this? How different are you?

Realisations include:

I can dress comfortably but still rock my own style.

No matter how bad shit gets, every day I get pleasure from choosing clothes and makeup.

I own far too many dressy clothes.

My f*cks have flown a long time ago.

I'm quite resilient.

I'll need retraining before I can eat in front of non-family members. Blush

OP posts:
hangrylady · 23/09/2021 11:34

I've put on a bit of weight which I'm trying to lose and that's about it. What is has done for me though, is make me appreciate my DH and kids more and realise how lucky I am.

Slayduggee · 23/09/2021 11:51
  1. It’s made me realise (again) how resilient I am
  2. It’s made me realise how (some) men just assume their wife will pick up all the slack and assume they can look after the kids whilst working from home in a demanding role.
  3. It’s made me realise the importance of having a safety net of savings. 2020 was an expensive year with me to a bigger house, giving birth, losing my job on mat leave, and my car going to the scrap yard so our savings are completely depleted.
  4. It’s made me realise how much discrimination against women with kids. I went for several interviews and they all seemed to go really went well and my skills set is in high demand. However, before or after the interview there was always a casual comment about how quiet my house was during my Teams interview, or asking me how was home schooling going, etc. This was despite me not mentioning I had kids. Unsurprisingly I didn’t get offered any of the roles after mentioning fortunately I wasn’t home schooling as my kids were pre-school age.
BikeRunSki · 23/09/2021 11:54

This

And I have become very, very anxious about everything.

DM has also moved locally to me, which has pluses and minuses!

Generallystruggling · 23/09/2021 11:54

I spent the first lockdown in the house, only left to walk around the garden or go to antenatal appointments. First time I went anywhere else was in the August about a month after he’d been born. As a result, I’m way more reclusive and anxious and struggle to socialise.

Gingerkittykat · 23/09/2021 17:50

@jugglingduty

I'm autistic and have sensory processing disorder, so I don't handle the real world very well and am much happier in a quiet haven at home. These days I'm generally thinner, stronger and healthier.

Despite all that, obviously I wish that covid had never happened - and I also wish the pandemic was really over. Other people are acting like absolutely everything is back to normal again but I can't see how it is, I don't get how they've just managed to switch the threat off in their heads. It's a really strange and alienating sensation.

I'm the same.

I now work and study from home and like it far more than having loads of face to face interaction.

My mental health has improved a lot, I did not realise exactly how exhausted pre-pandemic.

I'm more cynical. People cared about the vulnerable and clapped for the NHS and keyworkers for a while. I thought these changes might be permanent but now all of this has been forgotten by most people the vulnerable are now seen as an inconvenience, keyworkers re back to being low status nobodies and people bitch and moan about the NHS.

cuppycakey · 23/09/2021 18:09

Heavier Angry
I have realised I just do not need so many clothes/bags/shoes/things. I have saved a lot of money.
Working from home has really helped with my stress levels, and I feel so much calmer and in control.
I think overall I appreciate a much simpler life.
Going back out there where there are loads of people does seem overwhelming - not because I am afraid of Covid, but because they are so loud, annoying and just in my bloody way Grin

Porridgealert · 23/09/2021 18:11

keyworkers re back to being low status nobodies and people bitch and moan about the NHS.

I don't think this is true at all. In fact just yesterday I was chatting with a group of people and we were saying people like supermarket workers were real heroes during covid. And include carers in those categories. However...

My mum's carers and the company they work for are great but it's not great when the carers arrive late so mum doesn't get lunch, or they're new and they try to force entry. Can I not complain about these things just because they were great during the pandemic?

And yes I moan about the NHS. I appreciate what some staff did during the pandemic but does that mean that I can never criticise doctors? Can I not complain that when I took my mum for blood tests, despite my asking and reminding the practice, twice they failed to test her iron levels so that she ended up as an emergency admission into hospital having to have blood and iron transfusions? Can I not roll my eyes when I take my mum to the dentists and they have me sit in the car for 20 minutes only to then tell me that the appointment has been cancelled?

Key workers and NHS are appreciated but that doesn't make them immune to criticism when they make a mistake.

derxa · 23/09/2021 18:12

I'm sick of 'experts' pontificating on the TV and Twitter. A lot of these have really enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame. I don't mean people like Johnathan Van Tam or Chris Whitty. People like Dr Hillary and Dr Sarah Jarvis on telly programmes and Christina Pagel on Twitter. Nicola Sturgeon with her daily broadcasts. People were losing their livelihoods and these people were not.
I've had a horrid reaction to the jabs and now I'm a vaccine sceptic. You can shove your booster jab up your arse

derxa · 23/09/2021 18:14

I have nothing but praise for the NHS. They diagnosed and treated my early stage breast cancer last year

lazylinguist · 23/09/2021 18:15

Other people are acting like absolutely everything is back to normal again but I can't see how it is, I don't get how they've just managed to switch the threat off in their heads.

I don't think most people's brains are wired to be able to stay on high alert constantly. You get used to things. It's difficult to stay scared once you realise life is carrying on and you're probably not in major immediate danger (double-jabbed, chances of getting seriously ill reduced etc). I haven't felt a serious sense of threat to myself or my family since fairly early on in the pandemic tbh.

RuthW · 23/09/2021 18:17

I can go out of the house without make up.

My hair is very curly if I let it grow.

Life is much better when I stay at home more and don't socialise.

lazylinguist · 23/09/2021 18:18
  • And btw that's not because I've been able to hide away - dh and I are both secondary school teachers, so we've been in rooms with 30 teenagers at a time while schools have been open.
Maskless · 23/09/2021 18:31

I no longer trust the government. I no longer believe a single thing they say.

RosyPoesy · 23/09/2021 18:35

I don’t care about other people any more. They’ve mostly ignored me and not wanted to be my friend, if they do bother to interact with me it’s to be nasty. I used to be sad because I had no friends. But now I’ve realised I can be alone and not see anyone, and it doesn’t really matter.

Unfashionable · 23/09/2021 18:50

I have always been somewhat introverted and needed my own space, but lockdown & WFH have exacerbated these traits. I no longer have any interest in socialising with anyone.

I used to be very supportive of the NHS, and thought its problems were due to underfunding, but now I realise that’s not true. The system is dysfunctional & broken and needs radical structural reform. Other comparable countries, eg Germany, Israel, France do universal healthcare much, much better than we do with hybrid public / private systems and we need to learn from them.

maddening · 23/09/2021 18:53

Not changed me, but I am generally resilient by nature

grapewine · 23/09/2021 18:56

I knew it already, but covid has underlined it. I'm on my own and can't count on anyone to be there for me. The change is that I'm done trying with people. I genuinely don't care anymore.

Underamour · 23/09/2021 18:59

I worked through it- put my head down and got on with it. However, I constantly feel slightly ill- sore throat today, tomorrow will be a headache etc. I miss feeling healthy!

Thefieldofdreams · 23/09/2021 19:00

I hate gigs being cancelled and that pubs dont have as much live music which feels like my life blood.
I dont kmow what to do.instead.
I.miss people who live a good distance away as not many want to travel./ stay over.
I miss a peaceful place.to live. Its normally rammed in summer buy by now.quiet.
Not been able to get a seat in.my.local.for 4 weeks now.

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 23/09/2021 21:59

I’m not taking anything for granted anymore and going out when offered as much as I possibly can after seeing how quickly it can be taken away from you

derxa · 23/09/2021 22:05

I was at a sheep sale today. Last year it was all masks and restrictions and I couldn't see the fucking sheep properly because my specs kept steaming up Grin Today nothing. It was bloody glorious. So lovely to speak to old friends.

Babdoc · 23/09/2021 22:19

I have had long Covid for 18 months. And spent a year of it in almost solitary confinement, as I live alone. It nearly broke me.
When I got out out of hospital, I could only walk 100 yards before gasping for breath. I have had frequent relapses where I was limited to lying on the sofa, trying to overcome the fatigue and breathlessness enough to get to the kitchen to feed the cat and myself.
I am slowly recovering - I can walk a mile now, but if I do too much social activity or even gardening, I can get knocked back for a few days. I am much more aware of my own mortality, and very grateful for human contact. Meeting friends I hadn’t been able to visit for a year was very emotional.
I’m now at the stage of desperately wanting my old life back - I have booked concerts etc, and go to my hobby clubs, despite the infection risk, as I can’t face any more isolation.

EmeraldShamrock · 23/09/2021 22:24

It's been a tough time for many here, onward and upwards.
It is scary reading posts from regular poster's who have been very ill with covid.
It raises my blood even more with covid deniers.
Cheesey I know but I hope life improves for everyone whose has a rough time. Flowers

FancyLampshade · 23/09/2021 22:26

I’ve realised I’m going to die. Like I knew before but I didn’t know.

derxa · 23/09/2021 22:31

@Babdoc

I have had long Covid for 18 months. And spent a year of it in almost solitary confinement, as I live alone. It nearly broke me. When I got out out of hospital, I could only walk 100 yards before gasping for breath. I have had frequent relapses where I was limited to lying on the sofa, trying to overcome the fatigue and breathlessness enough to get to the kitchen to feed the cat and myself. I am slowly recovering - I can walk a mile now, but if I do too much social activity or even gardening, I can get knocked back for a few days. I am much more aware of my own mortality, and very grateful for human contact. Meeting friends I hadn’t been able to visit for a year was very emotional. I’m now at the stage of desperately wanting my old life back - I have booked concerts etc, and go to my hobby clubs, despite the infection risk, as I can’t face any more isolation.
Bloody Hell!! Good luck to you
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