I have had a particularly glum day and I was trying to rationalise why particularly, with lots of thought and rumination around the virus plus a bunch if personal stuff. Had a little cry and mood started to lift.
One of the things that crossed my mind is to do with the language that has been used to convey the messages about lockdown and the seriousness of the virus, and as I'd been on the propaganda thread and am a bit of a wordsmith in general with an interest in the psychology of language, I wondered if anyone has any particular words or phrases that invoke apparently irrational emotional responses?
My example on a personal level seems to be being designated "non-essential". My shop is utterly non-essential. No one will suffer for lack of incense or Gothic trinkets, which is fair enough. My DP is furloughed, his business is again rationally non-essential and vanity driven. However, to us both things have served a community purpose, given our lives meaning and structure, and required a large amount of emotional and financial investment and are as essential economically as anything else. However, I appreciate that during the pandemic, our feelings pale in significance to the necessary measures being taken to protect NHS resources and the health of the population.
I know that my personal reaction is down to me, and I have struggled with self esteem issues in the past, and I think that it feels so personal because after working hard and feeling more confident it's the mental equivalent of getting a B plus in a hard subject and being told it should have been an A. Having described myself as a wordsmith I'm still struggling to articulate this well I think!
And I don't know what wording would make it any better - maybe "High risk environment" ? But that's not necessarily evidence based, and a bit hyperbolic.
Anyway, just wondered if anyone else can identify particular language that has "triggered" irrational feelings,perhaps rooted in previous experience / trauma even if you can see the logic, appreciate the reasons etc etc.
Not looking for any sort if bunfight, just exercising my brain before it turns to mush!!