Life after lockdown

[delisane]

Anyone else feel meh after the pandemic and lockdowns? I'm not sad or depressed. I just feel like nothing matters anymore. I am much more authentic and I'll say what's on my mind.

Before lockdown I used to care so much about things but I don't stress as much now.

It's made me kind of hard in a way. I used to be so soft but I was hurt during lockdown like everyone else.

I have twins and we couldn't afford childcare so I cared for them solo throughout lockdown while my husband worked. I saw people slam doors in each other's faces due to the very legitimate fear of covid.

I think there's probably more to this than lockdowns. You might find counseling helpful. Something about what you're saying leaves me feeling like there are gaps in your understanding of your experience.

I don't feel any different at all...

I don’t worry so much about the future anymore and live much more in the present. That’s about it.

I think that we are nearly into 2024 so the Covid lockdowns are now part of history. Seems odd that you are still dwelling on this. Most people's recreating to get on with life

You are not wrong OP. Lockdowns were a mistake of criminal propositions that have damaged people in many ways. Broke the country financially, ruined children’s life chances and mental health and made adults suffer in ways far worse than Covid itself. But hey, this is MN. The most moronic people people here were complaining about their neighbours leaving the house more the once a day, outraged by people not wearing the pointless masks properly, not following the one way signs in supermarkets. And asking advice on how they could furloughed. And other batshittery of that kind.

I don't feel any different now than I did pre-lockdown. I did take it all with a very big pinch of salt and was out and about walking/having picnics every day with the kids. I found it quite a chilled time tbh (altho I did hate home schooling).

Lockdown ruined everything. I’ve had to give up doing things I really enjoyed, I’ve lost social contacts and am getting very reluctant to go out and do things.

I don't stress as much now as I used to and I am better at speaking up for myself. Lockdown made an awful time even worse in our house, I don't think life can ever be quite so hard again.

Lockdown changed a lot of my friendships. People I used to see lots now don’t want to come out and do stuff as much. I generally find people more flakey, whether that be friendships or work colleagues. I try and live more in the moment since lockdown.

Lockdown feels like a lifetime ago. DD was in Yr10 and, as soon as she was allowed, eagerly went back to school, sport and part time job - as did all of her friends.

Everyone I know just picked up where we left off and didn't catastrophise.

I think it's really not normal to be letting something that happened years ago still affect you to this degree. I honestly don't know of anyone who has been affected by lockdowns.

Could you consider counseling?

I loved lockdown even though I ignored all of the so called “rules”. Met friends, went out several times a day. Went on holiday. Etc etc. And it’s changed my work life balance for the better in so many ways. I work in an industry where WFH would never in a million years have been a thing and now it is.
I caveat the above by saying that I’m sure I would feel vastly different if I had lost a loved one and wasn’t able to hug them or say goodbye. I can imagine I’d be absolutely haunted by that.

Surprised at the first responses to this. Feels like not long ago there was a similar post and dozens of people agreed with the OP.

I think I feel a certain PTSD from it, and sounds like you’ve got it too.

I definitely overreact to any suggestion of working with kids in the background.

I also have a feeling of not being able to rely on anyone any more

I think it's odd that some people have just picked up where they left off, I don't see how it could not change a person.

Thank fuck not everyone was as selfish and arrogant as you and that scumbag Boris Johnson ,otherwise their would be mass graves and a complete irreversible breakdown of the NHS.

Of course, lockdown had its negative effects, but the alternative would have been more horrific.

I don’t feel any different than before. It all seems like ages ago, I’ve moved on.

Lockdown and covid does feel like a long time ago but as a country we are still adjusting to significant changes in our way of life. Lots of things have changed, for example, access to doctors and dentists, cash being phased out, lots of shops closing down, less spontaneity.

It has significant impact on the communication and behaviours of young children, especially in the last two preschool cohorts.

It was an indirect factor in my mum's death this year - the impact of not seeing her family and having to isolate had a significant role in her deteriorating over her last few years.

I've had some quite significant stress factors - a parent with cancer, a parent who died and dealing with helping my teenagers and young adult children. Cost of living rises due to the covid period mean my young adult child is unable to move out of home. The one positive of the year is that I was able to travel abroad, something I was scared might never happen again when we were in the midst of lockdowns.

One thing I noticed post-lockdown, and I'm not on my own here, was relief when social occasions were cancelled, and not for fear of contracting COVID, just being used to and fairly content with staying at home. This was evident in DD's mid-20s friends, not just the 50-70s I associate with. People would ruefully own up to it and laugh.

It's changed, and back to normal as far as I can see.

This is Melbourne, and COVID is on the rise again.

It changed me too. I miss the carefree spontaniety of life.It feels like something in me is missing and I cannot find it to get it back.

It was weird at the time but feels like a distant memory now tbh.

I feel totally different. I didn’t agree with lockdowns and I didn’t agree with being jabbed with some crap that hadn’t even been tested for 6 months.

I have no interest in the bulk of society that went along with it. None at all.

I think this is somewhat dramatic. Brexit has had a far bigger impact on the economy than lockdown and I hardly think the life chances of most children have been affected at all, although I do acknowledge that those in abusive or neglectful homes should never have been abandoned in the way that they were. I don’t actually know anyone negatively impacted, in fact a large number of friends have reassessed their lives and made changes for the better. Personally I had a shit lockdown as both dh and I were stressed wfh in essential industries and I feel our own dc were pretty much left to their own devices far more than they should have been. There was no lazing in the sun for us, more is the pity. But we all made the best of it and we’re fine. I can’t understand why most people, those who didn’t lose loved ones or fall ill themselves, are still dwelling on what was essentially a blip.

Lockdown didn't bother me. I'm disabled and don't get out much anyway, so it was just another day to me; no difference to my usual life and routine. I think it's just age that's making me care less about what others think etc.

I have noticed, though, when I do get out, that people seem much less patient with others. I've seen people be quite snippy, even rude, with cashiers, waiting staff and fellow customers/patrons etc. I've even been all but pushed out of the way with shopping trollies.

Feels like such a long time ago to me