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Feel guilty for being traumatised by covid. How do I help myself?

27 replies

jennyfromtheblock22 · 12/06/2021 13:37

I usually avoid the coronavirus boards so apologies if this has been posted before. I feel like I'm going to have a breakdown and need to try and help myself before it's too late. I feel guilty about this as nothing really bad has happened to me or my family and I know there's so many people out there that have had it worse than me.
I work in ICU so have been around really sick and dying covid patients since March last year however I'm a pharmacist so I don't have the same awful trauma as the nursing and medical staff who have to deal with families or hold patients' hands as they pass away alone. But I still feel the throat clenching stress when the hospital covid numbers are increasing. Our covid ICU managed to shut for a month but now patients are filling up again. I don't know if I can do it a third time. But feel guilty about this as other hospital staff have it worse than me.
My DH has worked throughout and his job is safe so again I shouldn't feel the way I feel as so many others have lost their jobs and their homes.
We have all been well throughout too and haven't caught covid but I worry about our elderly parents who are all now thankfully fully vaccinated.
I worry about the impact all of this is having on my DS's education and social interactions. In the first wave he didn't see another child for 9 weeks solid (he's 10). But again he's just picked up where he left off and plays with his friends all the time now so I shouldn't feel the way I feel as others may have it worse.
I'm probably not making much sense. I just find it hard to do anything. I have no get up and go and feel on the verge of breakdown quite a lot. Is this a common thing? I guess it must be. I don't think I'm depressed and don't want to numb my feelings with ADs as I already feel really numb. I don't know what I want really.

OP posts:
ThuggeryAffair · 13/06/2021 16:23

I'm so sorry you're feeling this way OP. It's completely understandable considering what you've been through. Thank you for working to help throughout the crisis; I wish I could find more words to say how brave I think you are and how sad it is that you're not giving yourself credit for how difficult it has been. I hope you can get some specialist support through counselling as soon as possible to help you through. You deserve care and understanding and compassion.

PineappleMojito · 13/06/2021 16:32

There are some free therapy services around I believe for frontline staff. There was one set up called Frontline 19 and there are a couple of others around. Unpicking how you feel with a trauma informed professional experienced in working with PTSD and vicarious trauma may be helpful for you. I’ve met many people experiencing similar and I also empathise, having worked frontline in CYP and young adult mental health throughout. It has been awful at times seeing the distress and you can feel so helpless against this tide of collective trauma. So I want to first send you a hug and huge amounts of validation for feeling how you do. It’s been so tough. Don’t be afraid to seek help.

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