COVID ranting

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I work full time in the NHS, so the pandemic features all day every day at work in some way shape or form, and has obviously done since March.

I’m aware it’s a big part of everyone’s lives right now but I honestly don’t think I can handle listening to anyone else COVID-ranting at me. I understand people are afraid, struggling and upset but I can’t explain how it feels to be bombarded with everyone’s feelings on this in RL on a daily basis either. Are a lot of us feeling the same way? I don’t know what to say to people anymore. On the Internet I don’t have to read it if I am not feeling it and don’t have to engage. I can choose if I read the news or not.

Today I interacted with 3 people who within the first few mins went into a rant about people who don’t wear masks/increasing cases/the government/holidays/parties/Xmas etc etc.

They were not talking TO me they were talking AT me. Just a blur of how unhappy they are with everything and life. I speak to patients and colleagues every day who do the same thing. Even my DC have started doing it at home. There are WhatsApp chats on my phone full of it. My mum has no other topic of conversation. A picnic with my dsis and kids will result in the entire conversation being about the time they went in a shop and someone coughed near them.

I’m not belittling people’s fears and worries but I feel like I am having to limit my interaction with people because it’s just so bad for my wellbeing. I can’t help them all I can do is listen but they seem to have no idea how the recipient may feel to sit and listen to them offloading all their anger and worries on you?

Without wanting to be patronising to anyone I wonder if we can also take into account how these conversations may make other people feel? I didn’t know where to post this but I am feeling it today

I feel this too, also NHS and worked on site throughout. I feel like I can just about hold it together as long as I don't have to deal with other people's ranting too.

We’ve banned talking about it, my 2 adult sons won’t watch the news. It’s difficult talking on the phone to friends and relatives without mentioning it, but we do try. The trouble is we don’t have much interesting to talk about because we haven’t done much. TV and radio are good distractions.

This is why I don't do Facebook, watch the main news or speak to anyone outside my immediate family OP. My extended family, and neighbours I have concluded are total knobheads.

I put myself on a news ban when I was on leave over summer, it helped. I don't look at the news as often now.

Thanks it has helped a little I am not alone in this!

I have no issue with people who are struggling or relevant news, but the ranting is just dragging me down so badly. I have explained to my mother that I just don’t want to have these conversations anymore about people not complying/the government but she said I was being unsympathetic, because it’s important to her

I do think that it's partly because I have been pretty near twanging point at several times since the pandemic started and I have noticed a very much lower threshold for ranting about anything than usual. The school FB groups have been tricky, I have muted them several times.

You are not alone. I'm also in the NHS & have worked throughout. Covid has swamped everything, & it's still there on the news or on posters in the streets, announcements in shops etc when you go home.

I have :

• drastically reduced the news I read, watch & listen
• taken part in conversations about covid where I can't escape (eg with patients or in staff meetings), & obviously read official emails & documents.
• but quietly walked away if others are going on about it (eg at break time) & I don't want to discuss it
• I will listen to friends & family & their worries. But I have also spaced out phone calls & meet ups with friends because I felt I was becoming their worry-sponge.

-I've been more strict about being on my phone, hanging about on places like mumsnet.

You have to do what you need to do to protect your own sanity. I miss having a good laugh with friends & colleagues.