Anyone else feel Covid has taken their mojo?

[Marianne1234]

For want of a better expression.

I’ve always been a sociable person. Enjoyed going out for meals, pubs, cinema etc. i also loved going to friends houses for dinner and drinks, and also hosting them at ours.

Recently I have just lost all interest. Not in an agoraphobia/anxiety way - I have no real fear of Covid (omicron is a head cold) although I do for the most part follow the rules (and have done throughout). I’ve had my jabs. I can go places like the supermarket etc because I need to. that’s all fine.

I just can’t be bothered with it. I can’t be bothered with other people. I can’t be bothered making the effort. I just want to stay in my bubble with my kids. I don’t really know whats happened to me.

Husband said to me today that we need to have our neighbours over (good friends, always had a good laugh and a few drinks with them regularly) and to be honest I just can’t think of anything worse. The effort. The cleaning. He also wants us to go out together soon because it’s been a while. That means kids to grandparents. Having to find something half decent to wear. No. Just leave me alone.

Husband is concerned I’ll have no pals left. He isn’t really sharing my apathy (although he doesn’t go out much himself).

I also need to, NEED TO lose some weight. And start being more groomed etc like I used to be. And I just can’t find it in me. I don’t have the energy and suddenly it doesn’t seem important (but it IS important).

I WFH full time and I wonder if this is really what’s behind it. It’s like I am completely out of the way of socialising. Maybe I’ve lost my confidence with it?

Socialising is so boring now. I'm still being very cautious and only going out for shopping, no meals out or events. I've seen my closest friend a couple of times in the garden and it's lovely but I find texting just as good as seeing her! I have no interest in meeting new people or joining hobby groups. It feels so weird to not care about seeing other people

Yes. I don't even read now and I used to read a lot. Don't care about covid never have but everything is so flat, boring and "may not happen because of covid." Unable to even get a f2f doctors appt if I need it. Just going through motions really of life.

Yeah. It just all seems like more hassle than it’s worth.

Yep not enjoyed my holiday in Thailand at all. I've been one anxious wreck.

I feel the same way op. Declined party invites although I met a few friends 1-1 I have just lost the pre pandemic social life and no inclination to do anything anymore. I don't enjoy eating out too. I also know a fair few who are not bothered about it and don't wear masks etc and don't feel safe around them.

I do have anxiety to some extent. I am double jabbed and boosted.

This is exactly me! I usually love clubbing on NYE, even if there was something decent on this year I know I would not go. Cant be bothered to make any effort. I Wear the same few items of clothes. Not put makeup on in ages.I Only text friends rather than visit, i dont have anything new to talk about anyway. I am not depressed, sad or lonely but I cant quite put my finger on how I feel about life or me at the moment. Just surviving rather than thriving but I know it’s not forever and life will become more interesting again.

Yes i feel the same, just had a talk with myself about upping my game re socialising. I have some lovely friends, we used to do regular nights out and meet ups but everyone is finding it difficult to get motivated and when we do see each other we talk of also feeling quite lonely and isolated. Its like the connections have become a bit fragile. I have been a lone worker for years and I needed my friendship groups to keep me sane so can definitely sympathise with enforced WFH

Yes, me too - but I just think I will bounce back in time. I think we're all drained.

I'm imagining/planning what I will do when I do feel like it, and looking after myself til then.

Well, let’s hope so. I mean it can’t be good to not want to socialise.

I can relate to what you’re saying except that I feel fine about the change. I give more time to close family and a couple of friends and have less to do with acquaintances. Life is less complicated and the pace slower.

Yes, exactly the same. It’s quite helpful to hear others say it tbh because I have been internalising it and blaming myself.

I know how you feel. I have also found that when I do meet friends or family, it's exhausting. I mean to the point I have to lie down and have a nap afterwards. I enjoy it at the time but it drains me.

I suspect many people are suffering from a general malaise brought on by ongoing uncertainty and a feeling of helplessness. How often has anyone felt truly happy in the past 18 months? There is very little joy in any of our lives.

Yep, I absolutely agree with you.
I’m not scared of catching it at all, but my lack of get up and go is worrying. I’m quite happy at home cleaning and watching TV. No desire to go out for a meal or to a gig any more.

Yeah, same here - but made worse by the after-effects of Covid infection itself, I think, which has definitely aged me.

The stress of trying to minimise exposure risk with rates through the roof in our area, while also managing teen who's desperate to socialise, is really finishing me off. Would be a damn sight easier to "do the right thing" if we had any kind of governmental leadership...

It feels like almost every week of the last 2 years has been identical. I can't even remember how old my nephews and nieces are anymore.

I read a tweet where someone referred to 2022 as '2020 too' and I felt very bloody deflated at that!

I am going to learn something complicated, useful and new this year so it doesn't just pass me by. I'm treating it like a prison sentence and going to come out improved

Otherwise I'm going to sink into a stupor.

This hasn't been my experience at all. Admittedly I don't really have any friends but when it's been allowed I've been out to gigs, meals, pubs, the cinema, the theatre and it feels AMAZING to be at these places, it's given me a whole new appreciation for them.
I'm embracing everything.

WFH full time, for a long time, is likely a factor. I hated commuting but dislike the v limited interaction with WFH.

I'm with you to, I was due to go to friends for New Year's Eve and they've got Covid so it's cancelled.

I'm relieved to be honest, I just can't be bothered to be sociable and make an effort. I'd much rather sit in my joggers and watch Netflix!

I'm exhausted by it all. I feel like a shell of a person. 1% could possibly be from actual catching covid anxiety. The rest of it is from not being in control of my life. I have two small, beautiful but demanding children and school may not be open in January. Who knows. There's no planning just waiting for someone else to say whether I can focus on myself a little bit more or be there for my kids.

OP I could have written your post. Right down to the weight gain and lack of looking nice like I used to!

Yep! Always used to have a lot of joie de vivre and now just feel blah. Was talking to my mum about this the other day and she agreed but I know other people I’ve spoken to about it also agree. It’s kind of like the whole nation has low level depression.

I'm the same although my anxiety levels are higher than yours OP. But I'm starting to wonder it they will ever go down.
Having 2 young children plus the last two years of the pandemic have destroyed my social life and friendships

I can associate. I've put on weight. But not with all you've written. The malaise and fed up yes. But no, I have socialised, have got up and gone to work in covid, with hair neat and a bit of makeup.

I miss meeting friends.
I have met friends at appropriate opportunities throughout this.

Covid has suited the unsociable and has made them worse. This won't change, unless you make the decision to change it, and soon it'll have been 3 years.