Does anyone feel as if they’ve become ‘institutionalised’

[Toomanymuslins]

I know it’s completely the wrong term. But things like shopping and eating out, trips to the zoo and swimming, seem like another world.

I’m just used to it now. It’s become normal.

Is it just me?

I also find it incredibly tedious and boring .. and all those who say how nice it is not to have to rush around doing things, talking to people you don't like, accepting invitations to things you don't want to do etc ... then surely you need to look at your own behaviour and ask yourself why you get into the treadmill of 'doing to much'?

I was very happy with my work life balance pre Covid, I love my job (can't do it from home so currently furloughed for the third time), I had a great range of volunteering jobs and hobbies ... I never accepted invitations to things I didn't want to do. I can do some of my volunteering work still (and found a new role to fit in whilst on furlough) but other than that life is very dull, endless walks every day, and my DH are sick of the sight of each other .

I'm scared the very keen people will bully others who are not so ready

I doubt it but if they do just say no thanks

I've started reminiscing badly about my lovely Turkish holidays. I miss the warm sea, the sand on my feet, diving from the jetty, the warmth, the flatbread, the cocktails everything. I miss strolling round the massive primark at 0900 on a Saturday.... So relaxing.
I miss Christmas with my family. The library. Swimming. My child's had 5 days of schooling in 3 months...
I know what freedom was and I won't forget.
No I'm not institutionalised. Sorry that you are.

I was surprised each time at how easily my children slotted back into school. I hope it’ll be the same for me for doing stuff.

Some countries like China have been back to normal for nearly a year now. At this point governments in Europe and America should just admit defeat and let life return to normal. And I say that as someone who was wearing a mask to go shopping last March as I knew this was serious, even when people were looking at me like I was insane. Anyway the status quo is inhumane. I just hope they will bother actually heed the lessons and plan properly for the next one, though unlikely in the current political climate of endless cuts and buck passing.

I’m scared of crowds now, I feel anxious every time I hear someone cough (yes I know not all coughs are Covid but we’ve been conditioned to be cautious about coughs for over a year now). I like going outside but the world seems so busy and crowded now where at the start of 2020 I’d never have noticed people around. Ive gotten so used to being in my small home, sat at the kitchen table day after day on zoom that changing from this now seems overwhelming.

However, I have an anxiety disorder. I fully accept it’s neither normal nor healthy to feel this way and I am really hoping that when life resumes I’ll be too busy enjoying living again to feel anxious about it.

And I really hope there will be public enquiries into the complete failures of Western governments to protect the lives of citizens. A mortality rate 100x or 200x that of many advanced Asian economies should not be seen as “acceptable”. But the Tories are set against it.

I said the same!

I really missed things but now it's become normal not to have them

I've especially found this lockdown hard with the cold weather but even that's becoming easier with lighter evenings and nicer weather.

Although hopefully back to being a swim mum in 2 weeks and I'm sure I won't have missed not running ds to the pool 7 times a week including 3 early mornings 🤣

This week I have hit the wall. Until now I did not understand people going on about wanting a holiday, in fact it seemed entitled to me tbh. We're in a pandemic ffs etc, etc. NOW I get it. I feel so bored and fed up and desperate for a change of scenery. For me it's because the risk seems so low now. However, we are actually in a dangerous phase, too complacent and it rises again. God help us if it's a vaccine resistant variant if it does.

I've worked throughout without social distancing so day to day things can feel normal. However I hate going out due to face masks and all the distancing stuff so I tend to have deliveries for shopping and obviously there are limited places to go. I would be very happy if everything went back to normal overnight. Face masks blind me as they mist up my glasses so feel trapped more by them than any other restrictions. Not scared of covid. We had it mildly so feel we are likely immune til we can get the vaccine.

@lljkk

I just feel very alienated. I kind of knew I had different values before, but my peace with that has been badly unmade. My trust in the goodness of people is very low. People are very happy to snitch on you for vague shit and to cast around words like 'Covidiots', "twats", "selfish" or insist on "natural consequences" on the job security of people who wish to exert bodily autonomy. The love of Authoritarianism is enormous. I am now very aware of my fear of police. My values are indeed wildly wildly different from everyone else.

We might be on the same page

I’m much less knackered! Pre covid I was always exhausted, with a full on job, kids, social, house, always had a muzzy head. It’s been so nice not to be that tired and to be able to think clearly.

I know what you mean OP. The previous way of being is so remote it seems like a dream in some ways.
We used to just walk into pubs, walk up to the bar, get a drink and chose a seat without considering any sanitation measures? Really?
It seems weird now if I watch something on telly that was filmed before the pandemic. They're not social distancing or wearing masks!

In some ways I find lockdown more exhausting than the way things were before. I usually spend quite a bit of time in the car between meetings, so there's a break in the social interaction.

Right now it can be so full on, conversation after conversation, until my brain is numb.

@AdaFuckingShelby

I know what you mean OP. The previous way of being is so remote it seems like a dream in some ways. We used to just walk into pubs, walk up to the bar, get a drink and chose a seat without considering any sanitation measures? Really? It seems weird now if I watch something on telly that was filmed before the pandemic. They're not social distancing or wearing masks!

Same!

I had a lockdown baby and can’t wait to do normal things ... maybe that’s it. My life will never be the same anyway!

I can't wait to get back to normal but it struck me when I went to get my vaccine at the large vaccine centre how odd it felt to be surrounded by so many people. It was all distanced, a huge marquee, but I hadn't been around that many people in what feels like a very long time.

@cryh

I'm scared the very keen people will bully others who are not so ready.

Bully them how? I will be doing all the things I enjoy, but I’m not bothered what others do. If you’ve got people in your life who you feel will bully you into things, you probably need to reassess the relationship with them.

Me too. Felt weird when I read the rule of six is coming back. I don’t think I want to stand in my garden with people. Most of my acquaintances have fallen away over the past year, and my family has changed as my parents died.

I’m a hermit.

@lljkk

I just feel very alienated. I kind of knew I had different values before, but my peace with that has been badly unmade. My trust in the goodness of people is very low. People are very happy to snitch on you for vague shit and to cast around words like 'Covidiots', "twats", "selfish" or insist on "natural consequences" on the job security of people who wish to exert bodily autonomy. The love of Authoritarianism is enormous. I am now very aware of my fear of police. My values are indeed wildly wildly different from everyone else.

I feel the same.

I’m so sorry luna

You're right OP, your life never will be the same if you've just had your first

@AdaFuckingShelby

You're right OP, your life never will be the same if you've just had your first

You are so not wrong!

@Toomanymuslins

I’m so sorry luna

Thank you. Not of Covid, but one just before the pandemic and one during.

So I’ll emerge from this into a very different world.

@Rockbird

Yes I think there will have to be some understanding that just because things will open, not everyone will be waiting at the door to run out. Some people, myself included, will need time to adjust. I don't like lockdown but I've got used to it and it'll be hard to flip back to normal overnight.

That's a good thing. We don't want everywhere to be heaving with people. It needs to be gradual.

Have a garden play date with optional tea/gin booked in next week.

Easter BBQ with our favourite other family at weekend.

Everyone will have certain people they want to see most so I don't think hundreds of invites are going to land on the doormat.

Just emerge slowly seeing your besties first and gradually build up.

I don't mind the slower pace of life but would prefer a bit of a mix. I like people, almost everyone has a story, point of view. We are social animals.

I used to turn down invitations but as I gave honest reasons "I'm not the best company at the moment" type thing. There was no insult.

Young adults, in particular, need to mix, to meet people, bank memories, fall over, fall in love or at least temporary lust.

How do you make your favourite friends if you don't mix? Wherever that may be, uni, pubs, netball teams, school gates.

So it's fine if you have established friends but many are still gathering those. They need to be back out there and god I will be so happy to see/hear about it all when they do.