Does anyone else feel like they’ve lost a whole way of life since covid

[Barewithmenow]

It feels like my kids have grown so much under my nose and have missed out on so many rites of passage. So many people I have lost touch with because my life has changed. So many things I just can’t be bothered with any more which I used to do pre covid (granted this is within my control but so much of it seems utterly pointless). So much else but does anyone else feel like they’ve lost so much since the pandemic that frankly won’t return. It feels like 2019 was a way of life we totally took for granted, it feels like covid has fundamentally changed the way most people live their lives. Does anyone else feel like this?

There were pretty vast disparities in the financial impacts, which in many ways was part of the problem.

If it hasn’t changed you, or had a lasting impact, I think you’re very fortunate.

I don't think it's anywhere near that simple.

As unpalatable as it is for some people, COVID has changes many people's lives for the better. As an example, thanks to lockdowns, many can now WFH which often gives a better work/life balance.

I wasn't allowed to work during the first lockdown which meant I could get loads of DIY done and work on my mental health. I've now changed careers and have a thriving business thanks to COVID.

I also think many people used COVID as an excuse when really they just couldn't be arsed to do various things. So yes, COVID changed their life but only because they wanted it to change anyway.

This for me too DorritLittle. My husband is retired and I am still working which is my choice although I could have retired 12 months ago. I worked right through Covid, at home, and now WFH full time which made me re-think retirement as this gives me so much more flexibility in my free time (no commuting etc). I can actually go to the gym before work (6am) rather than on my way home, which ate into our own free evening time. We go out and about a lot and on holidays. I do understand how some folk are still struggling, but I think there is going to come a time when they have to bite the bullet and start living again - the future will be so much brighter if they are able to do that. Lockdown was hard for everyone but its now in our own hands to live our lives again.

I could’ve written your post. Here’s a hug of solidarity.

Yes. Mostly I can’t put my finger on it but I feel profoundly changed after the Pandemic.

Pretty much sums it up - the whole thing was a very mixed bag for us.

However the whole getting back to normal - how much is passage of time - kids being older relatives getting older and health deteriorating - and how much the affects it's hard to figure out. Mental health of some relatives ones who lived along is clearly lockdown related.

Many opportunities groups actives are gone - they never came back or my children aged out of and things I was banking on - no longer available. We go out much less - it's frequently more a hassle when we do finding somewhere to eat transport issues and I think we are just out the habit.

We were also immediately and badly hit by transport strikes and now worried about living costs.

Also in Wales as well and went through surreal experience of being in shops shops clearly having stock and being unable to buy because of Welsh Government say so - but being able to come home and order on-line because "reasons".

I don’t care if you disagree Fatima. I’m simply stating our circumstances.

DH working From home has been a massive blessing to us and means he has been able to do a school run which has helped me enormously and DD prefers him collecting her.

It's improved our general quality of life because we get him as soon as he finished work.
These things won't matter in about two years but it's been a blessing for us.

My life has changed since Covid, but not because of Covid. Main differences are that dh has changed jobs and I've got a good, full-time job in a nice workplace for the first time in over a decade. So I'm much busier and we are slightly better-off.

Other than that, nothing has changed. We don't go out socially much (but didn't before). My dc really liked virtual school and didn't really want to go back to real school. We were very fortunate during lockdowns- dh at home with much less work to do, but on full pay. I lost all my work, but we were ok on dh's salary. Teenage dc who coped fine with online school work and needed virtually no help from us with it.

@exwhyzed - that sounds horrific.

Very little has changed for us and even less of it is negative changes.
Life feels very much as it did before.

It feels very different for me now.

I lost quite a few people, either to covid itself or during the period where I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, and that really altered something in me going through all that grief that close together. Watching my dad stand by himself at my granddad's funeral broke me a little bit.

DH's mental health absolutely plummeted and it's been a long few years working through that.

Our business took a huge hit as a result of the pandemic and I worked 60 hour weeks trying to keep it on track while also spending every spare hour I had doing freelance work to pay the bills. I'm still recovering from the burnout, I've lost a lot of the joy I have for my freelance work (which I used to love) because it just makes me think of sitting at home alone trying to do something that would stop me feeling like everything was going to crash down around me.

It changed how I see other people, too. People seemed so selfish and cruel and stupid a lot of the time. There were lots of lovely stories of people coming together to help, but in the days where deaths were really high, I know so many people I used to like and respect were having secret parties, going out when they knew they were ill, etc. My closest friend's dad spent 2 months in hospital after a family friend promised they had tested negative and were visiting to cheer him up (he's immunocompromised and hadn't left the house in weeks, was alone and my friend lives 300 miles away). He wasn't negative, he just didn't test. Her dad nearly died and when she asked the friend why the fuck he lied, he said he thought she was blowing it out of proportion. My BIL visited my very ill grandmother in law while he had Covid and she ended up with pnemonia. Maybe I know some horrible people, but it really surprised me how many stories I've heard of people just not caring. I have real sympathy for when people became sick of lockdown and restrictions, but knowingly visiting ill or otherwise vulnerable people with covid while there were hundreds dying a week is unfathomable to me.

There've been plus points, too: DH and I weirdly enjoyed so much time together at home despite how shit a lot of it was, and I was grateful beyond belief to have go through being locked down with him and not alone. But god, what a weird few years.

I feel like most of the people I was friends with showed a whole new nasty judgemental side during lockdowns and although I still speak to most of them via messages what’s app etc I couldn’t care less if we never met in person again .

No real change for me. WFH throughout but this was always an option with my workplace. Have found more things in the local area and now make more effort to message/phone people (a good habit that started in lockdown). I'm back to socialising as before now (not that I was ever a massive party animal anyway 😁 ) We did a big trip this year that had been put off from 2020 and I feel very grateful I was able to do that.

💐for anyone having a rough time, I know its been very hard for some people.