If you are upset/frustrated about restrictions, why? anyone else not bothered or become numb to it?

[grette]

I get some restrictions are a bit rubbish. Can’t travel, limited numbers to places etc.

But people saying they can’t cops? They’re upset? I don’t get it and starting to worry maybe I’ve become numb to life?

I suspect it’s because I haven’t really felt the impact of say, not seeing an elderly relative for example (none in close family anymore).

But aside from that, I’ve enjoyed working from home, the quieter roads and traffic, the limited drinking hours and even the restrictions on big groups when at dinner! I say this as an employee of the corporate world and who spent lots of time in bars and restaurants and socialising...and I enjoyed it very much but I don’t yearn for it back. Maybe I’ve forgotten what it was like? I read posts saying people are at breaking point and it just seems like a quieter way of life with small inconveniences? Am I some numb shell of who I was and have forgotten life pre covid?!

I’m in a vulnerable group due to asthma, so I decided back in the spring that I would do everything possible to dodge the covid bullet. I’m able to WFH which helps, obviously, and I’m fine in my own company so the situation is less than ideal, but it is tolerable. I also take the view that those of us who are able to hide from the virus are doing our bit by freeing up scarce NHS resources for those who can’t.

Obviously, I would prefer to be eating out and going on holiday as in a normal year, but this isn’t a normal year. I’m reassured by the scientists’ confidence that there will be a vaccine and I’m prepared to sit it out until then.

I can't see my family and I can't see my nephew getting married, so yes it is frustrating.

It is more that the joy has been sucked out of everything though, nothing is really any fun now.

I miss being able to see family the most. I come from a large family and we would often have massive get togethers. My kids loved it. My children are very young and I do miss having family days out with the kids and being able to socialise with my friends etc however I am hopeful that this is all temporary, so I’m not too bothered about it at the moment.
Before lockdown DH and I had very busy lifestyles. Both worked full time mon-fri with me getting home for 5pm and DH 8pm. Then evenings would be busy sorting kids, cooking or catching up on work etc. We also have 2 large breed dogs, so after getting kids to bed DH would go out at night to take the dogs for an hour or so run about. Weekends were extremely busy for us too. Since lockdown we have grown closer to each other as a family. My children have enjoyed getting to spend time with us and each other and I am grateful for this as we rarely got to spend any quality time together. I also had a baby in June and I am fortunate that my husband has been home since March, so I have been able to rest loads and as a couple we have enjoyed being new parents a lot more this time.
When my maternity pay runs out very soon that’s when reality will sink in and I will have to return to work which makes me extremely nervous as I have been at home since March. We have savings that would get us through if I chose not to return to work, but I feel this pandemic won’t be over some time soon so can’t put work off forever as the savings won’t last forever.

*BeNiceLikeIRL

pp was right about the extrovert/introvert difference. I think, apart from work situations, the socialising aspect has taken the pressure off introverts and been harder on extroverts.*

I disagree. I’m an introvert, and feel as though I’m going mad- with DH working from home, and reduced childcare, I have hardly had a second on my own since lockdown started. I need that time and mental space to recharge and it’s impossible right now.

I'm in Wales in a lockdown area. I am a strong introvert so I don't mind the social side so much although DH and DS miss the ILs very much. My issue is that we enjoy spending our spare time going on countryside walks in beautiful areas of the country and now we are stuck in our city.

I am fine in the autumn/Winter months as I tend to hibernate a bit anyway. I didn’t enjoy the restrictions in the spring though. I miss gigs, holidays and pubs with friends.

Probably a lot of people who have been furloughed/returned to work/made redundant are very worried, scared and fed up of the whole thing. Everybody is reacting to it differently and it's a mess really.

@Artesia you are right about that: it took at least a week after DC went back to school to decompress after not having been alone for so many months.

I read posts saying people are at breaking point and it just seems like a quieter way of life with small inconveniences?

It's probably more difficult for extroverts. As an introvert it hasn't bothered me too much in terms of day to day. Monday to Friday is a lot easier for me wfh, but things I enjoy at the weekend are all gone pretty much which is hard and I haven't been away anywhere this year.

I don't care about going out, eating out, travelling or meeting people. But this has still affected me.
Work is in a pharmacy, we have the constant fear of meeting covid. Hours are longer and busier and full of people who are fed up and getting frustrated and worried, so they are not as pleasant as usual. We now have to wear a mask adding to the feel of toil rather than a nice little job.

One daughter is at uni in Wales, cannot come home, I miss her, stuck studying mainly on line getting deeper into student loan debt for little benefit.

Other daughter caught in the a level fiasco. Taking one subject exams over these 2 weeks, because a teacher she saw twice in 2 months gave her a lower grade than her mocks ( she was appealing based on mocks but they removed that avenue meaning exam or accept she cannot do her course of choice at uni.)

On top of that dh is part working from a totally unsuitable home environment, MIL gradually descending into alzheimers does not understand covid restrictions and spends a lot of time crying after being shouted at in shops, doctors etc.

Kindness and tolerance are being eroded and my world is becoming a lesser place because of it. I don't like it. So yes, I am frustrated and not yet numb.

I read posts saying people are at breaking point and it just seems like a quieter way of life with small inconveniences?

Oh ffs really? Even excluding the people who have lost family members and jobs, what about the single mums at home with young children on isolation while working? Or those unable to see ailing older relatives? Or the highly vulnerable who now have to go back to teaching in a school?

And then an answer that brings up the introvert/extrovert thing again.

Yes attitude helps, yes personality helps, but circumstances make the most difference of all.

Introvert / Extrovert
sod that
Income / No income
and no prospect of any money coming in for another six months having survived since March

So many people not understanding what an introvert is!

I’m introverted but really enjoy socialising. I just need time on my own too, as that’s how I recharge. That’s it. It doesn’t mean antisocial 🙄

Whether I’m an introvert or extrovert has no bearing on the fact that I’m struggling massively due to my industry still being closed (and apparently ‘unviable’) and being stuck at home day in day out with a toddler who needs to socialise with his peers, while all our toddler groups remain closed.

Things are a bit shit here. I’m
On maternity leave.

Moved house just before the pandemic so new larger mortgage
Losing my job and frantically applying for new jobs and getting no where
DHs work is quiet as well
Dont have time/can’t got to pubs, restaurants, shopping for non essentials due to lack of cash
No baby and toddler groups are open
Can’t go to an outdoor baby fitness class as I would have to bring my toddler. I’ve been told my toddler would have to socially distance which won’t happen.
The weather is now becoming shit so it’s harder to go to the park or find something to do outdoors every day
Elderly relatives have not seen the baby as they live some distance away and have health conditions
The prospect of a very dull winter - no trick or treating, no bonfire night and no fireworks displays, no going to see Father Christmas, no birthday party for DD

@OrangeFluff

So many people not understanding what an introvert is!

I’m introverted but really enjoy socialising. I just need time on my own too, as that’s how I recharge. That’s it. It doesn’t mean antisocial 🙄

Sounds like you are an introvert with a bit of extrovert mixed in. My DH is like that.

There are certainly introverts who find socialising very emotionally draining - pretty marked introverts, but not antisocial!

There is a sliding scale, it's not black and white. Everyone's an individual and OK how they are.

@ListeningQuietly

Introvert / Extrovert sod that Income / No income and no prospect of any money coming in for another six months having survived since March

Yes, you are right, but I don't think this thread is intended to address the horrible financial situation, no matter how serious your predicament. Taking the OP as a starting point, I think it was literally about living with restrictions on socialising and whether that was impacting others or not and, rightly or wrongly, the OP was not talking in economic terms. There are other sociological/emotional aspects about socialising and I think that is what OP meant.

I suspect most of those saying they don't miss socialisig and going out didn't do much of these before Covid-19 either, so probably aren't depriving the hospitality/entertainment sector of much income anyway. They probably mostly stayed home before all this - plenty of people did.