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Original poster

Life after lockdown

117 replies

delisane · 04/11/2023 19:43

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.

OP posts:
VisionsOfSplendour · 04/11/2023 21:30

Pipistrellus · 04/11/2023 21:02

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.

Obviously I dont know everything about people I know but I've not had any conversations with anyone that suggests they have changed, I dont feel any different in myself although I do find some of the changes not to my liking but my life isn't too different to what it was before

Hotpinkangel19 · 04/11/2023 21:33

I don't even think about it anymore. Wasn't the worst time in my life.

RamblingRosiePosy · 04/11/2023 21:44

I never give it a second thought, life didn't change for me, l still had to go out to work everyday, as did eldest son, and youngest was HE anyway. So it didn't impact our routine. I was used to meeting up with friends and going for a walk, we did that before. I don't tend to go out much in evening through choice.
What l have gleaned from this is that it's affected the people worse who hadn't really been through much beforehand. I lost my husband before Covid so already had to totally readapt to a permanently different way of life, where as changes during vivid were only temporary.

RamblingRosiePosy · 04/11/2023 21:45

during Covid

1dayatatime · 04/11/2023 21:56

@Wellyrambles

"Thank fuck not everyone was as selfish and arrogant as you"

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

+++

The alternative may have been more horrific or it may have been the same or may have been slightly worse. The fact is that there is no way of ever knowing because there was a lockdown.

Equally it could be argued that the lockdowns were selfish by saving the lives of the predominantly elderly at the cost of the economic prosperity of the many and children's life chances.

yellowlane · 04/11/2023 22:01

I don't feel any different. Covid times feels like a lifetime ago and a blur.

phobiaofsocialmedia · 04/11/2023 22:09

I know what you mean OP.

Not wanting to debate whether or not we needed a lockdown, but I found lockdowns depressing and isolating.

Afterwards I felt like the shine and sparkle of life had been taken away. It was hard to plan and look forward to things. It seemed pointless to look forward to anything. I always felt it was pointless to arrange anything fun. Everything felt so frustrating and out of my control.

People have changed and family relationships have changed - but not for the better. Lots of people have become reclusive.

The mundane part of life just seems so much more of an effort and a bit thankless to be honest.

It's much better now but I don't think it's wrong to acknowledge the impact it had some of us.

I know people who loved it so.....

TookTheBook · 04/11/2023 22:21

Talking to my therapist helps and I think it could help you, OP. You sound depressed actually. It also hit us at a really tough time professionally also with young children and I don't think my career will recover so I'm coming to terms with that.

Womencanlift · 04/11/2023 22:21

For all the why are you thinking about it comments I can understand why the OP is thinking about it now with the inquiry on the news all week. Seeing Dominic Cummings try again to justify his eye test took me right back to that Bank Holiday Monday when he was saying the same shit in the rose garden

On your question the experience of lockdown did make me more reflective and focus on the things that are important to me. Would definitely say I have stepped away from some friendships since that time, I have moved house and got a new job. I think I was stuck in a little bit of a rut, especially job wise, before covid but to me lockdown was a little bit of a pause on normal life and it came at a great time for me

And before it is said I know that people had a horrible time and I am not saying it was awful, I am just giving my experience and I also did have my low points

merryhouse · 04/11/2023 22:30

I suppose I was quite lucky in that my day-to-day Normal Life was at home anyway, so it just meant that both sons were working in their bedrooms (one 6th-form, one home from university) and we didn't stroll to Tesco's every day. Oh, and the internet was suddenly a lot busier Grin

We all made sure we got out daily (H went cycling on the empty roads, the rest of us walked down the footpath to the fields) and our karate association put on a few online classes.

Following H's redundancy and me still not having found a job we were already living off savings, so lockdown just meant that lasted a bit longer than it would have done otherwise.

My main gripe was that our evening hobby activities were put on hold. My voice was in a terrible state when choir eventually started again - not only had my range shrunk to its smallest ever, but there was this weird bubbling noise (which apparently nobody else could hear, fortunately). It's only just starting to show signs of getting back to its 2019 state.

And maybe I'm just really unobservant, but I haven't noticed people being more unpleasant to each other than before.

AllSoComplicated · 04/11/2023 22:34

Not everyone's experiences were the same, so I think it's natural that many people feel fundamentally changed by it.

I am a lone parent. I also got ill and have ended up chronically ill after covid. Mentally, I thought I did ok but it changed how I feel about people. I hardened too.

I can do without people because I realised that utlimately I am alone. I don't have close family and friends I can rely on. I watched everyone bubble while I was still alone with my autistic child. Now I'm too poorly to socialise so I just feel like I carried on being in lockdown in some ways. The joy disappeared for me. I no longer look forward to things. It's not depression. It's adjustment to my illness and grief. I've been grieving since then.

I lost my relationship in the lockdown and was heartbroken. I didn't manage to see my family much for a long time and then my parent died suddenly this year. I think I only saw him twice since covid.

First my boyfriend, then my family relationships, then my old life and health and now my parent.

There's such a lack of empathy around. It's been as divisive an experience for the country as Brexit. I think so many relationships have suffered.

TempestTost · 04/11/2023 22:56

Nothing really bad happened to me over covid, and there was some benefit for me to slowing down a bit because I realized I was too busy. It also facilitated a major move my family made which I think has overall been positive.

I do in a way feel less happy about people. I was really shocked at some of the behavior of people, and the way the state, and "experts", behaved.

But I think the thing that really shook me most was the way the elderly were locked into homes and not allowed to see anyone or go out, which I consider a basic human right violation. And people did this thinking it was for the benefit of the people they locked up. It changed the way I feel about people, like society is not actually a good, but dangerous.

I still have colleagues at work who are masking, and I find myself increasingly impatient with them, or people who constantly worrying about people testing, or coming in and asking to have their vaccination cards updated (the government has not announced that these are no longer necessary, even though they aren't and no one is supposed to ask for them.) I am generally pretty laid back, and I don't think I would feel as inclined to be as snippy as I do now.

Wellhellooooodear · 04/11/2023 22:58

It's not changed me at all, I can barely remember it now

RM2013 · 04/11/2023 22:59

Life feels back to normal. Lockdown for me was challenging working in the NHS and I was most definitely heading for burn out so very grateful that life returned to normality for me personally

ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming · 04/11/2023 23:01

I don't feel any different to how I did before lockdown, or even during lockdown. However, it does seem to me that some people have become more impatient, demanding, and unpleasant.

It feels like a long time ago to me, and everyone I know is just back to normal life.

Pinkitydrinkity0 · 04/11/2023 23:03

Do you work from home a lot now OP? I find that doesn’t help the feeling of ‘meh’, it’s not a healthy way to live.

Fionaville · 04/11/2023 23:04

I don't feel any different. Apart from being more likely to say 'No' to things that I don't want to do. But I think that's because I'm 3 years older.
If anything, I appreciate where we live more, because I realised how lucky we were and I appreciate being able to just turn up at my parents to see them whenever I want.

Boomboom22 · 04/11/2023 23:06

Hmm. I def want to.go on more holidays. If lockdown didn't happen I think my eldest would have passed the 11+. My youngest in reception and that whole cohort are delayed / increased sen / increased autoimmune diseases probably triggered by covid.
The year 13s I teach are apathetic but the year 12s good so far, could be cohorts though not the whole year groups.

Xmasbaby11 · 04/11/2023 23:07

Feels like ages ago to me and my life went back to normal.

Chipsahoyagain · 04/11/2023 23:08

Pipistrellus · 04/11/2023 21:02

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.

Really? What choice do people have- sit and wallow in the past?

ScremeEggs · 04/11/2023 23:10

If you're feeling meh about everything that sounds low key depressed to me

MariaLuna · 04/11/2023 23:17

Equally it could be argued that the lockdowns were selfish by saving the lives of the predominantly elderly at the cost of the economic prosperity of the many and children's life chances.

Goodness. I'm speechless.

Pokinganose · 04/11/2023 23:25

I know of a few people who no longer can be bothered with social occasions. It changed me in that it made me realise that I had few true friends. It was very much one sided with me making all the effort to check they were OK. By choice I have now cut those friendships. Lockdown affected the friendships of my dcs too and made them less eager to go to school as they became used to being at home.My dh will always say it didn't affect as he just carried on working, although it was from home. He is in denial as he had covid quite badly and it took a long time for him to fully recover.
I don't necessarily think that you are depressed OP. The aftermath of lockdowns left many feeling a bit flat and wondering what life is all about.
This year we've also had a poor summer and the constantly changing weather seems to be having an effect on lots of people's moods. I've heard so many people lately saying they are feeling tired and listless. Hang on in there.

Iamonetoo · 04/11/2023 23:33

Equally it could be argued that the lockdowns were selfish by saving the lives of the predominantly elderly at the cost of the economic prosperity of the many and children's life chances.

Goodness. I'm speechless.

She makes a good point

ShutTheDoorBabe · 04/11/2023 23:40

I feel the same now as I did back in 2019.