What Is COVID Fatigue?

You don’t need me to tell you how sick and tired I am of this pandemic — you’re just as sick and tired of it as well. I didn’t realize just how much COVID was affecting my mindset until Christmas came and went and not a single decoration made it out of the garage. That’s right, there was no tree this year and no one else seemed to mind either. Enter in the new phrase, COVID fatigue. Yep, it’s real and affecting more people than you can imagine.

It isn’t unexpected, either. “The harsher the restrictions we face, the more likely you are to experience fatigue, anxiety, and depression,” licensed therapist Deirdre Cummings told Mom.com.

What is COVID fatigue: Definition and symptoms

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If you’re wondering what exactly COVID fatigue is and how to tell if you have it, Cummings gives us better insight. “COVID-19 fatigue is a set of negative feelings that center around anxiety, anger, and frustration about the state of our lives while in a worldwide pandemic.”

It can be hard to discern the difference between just a bit tired or edgy and COVID fatigue. But if you are feeling bored, isolated, sad, or have a short temper with a lot of anxiety about doing basic stuff, you may be experiencing COVID fatigue. We start to feel this way because we are uprooted from all the normal things we want to do. Think about it, even grocery shopping takes more time and energy than ever before. You’re managing remote learning and probably trying to balance working from home just a few feet away from your child, too.

And all the things that you would normally do to get a break or blow off steam just don’t seem to be in the pandemic cards. Getting together with friends is a no-no. Many of us are still in places where going to a restaurant for dinner — so we don’t have to deal with cooking or clean up — has a ton of restrictions.

Millennial mom Ali Van Straten can relate to the feelings of COVID fatigue. “I am more frustrated than with regular blah-ness," she told Mom.com. "I understand the need for lockdowns and social distancing, but it’s still frustrating with a 2-year-old not to be able to do activities and playdates.”

What to do about COVID fatigue?

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If you want to fight COVID fatigue, you’ll need to think outside the box about things in your life and things you love to do. Cummings suggests taking up hobbies that you always wanted to do but never found the time or energy for. Maybe that means learning to play the guitar, plant a garden, or write that book burning inside of you.

Socializing will help you get out of the fatigue funk, but you might need to be creative with this as well. Try a Zoom “Who Dun It Murder Mystery” with friends. You’ll laugh and be silly and all of that is good to battle COVID fatigue.

Of course, it doesn’t all need to be new things. Cook comfort foods you love or learn old family recipes that you’ve been meaning to master. Reread your favorite book. Build a living room fort with the kids and crawl inside to be silly and goofy for just a little while. In other words, give yourself permission to indulge and put the rules aside for a bit.

When to seek professional help: COVID fatigue treatment

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It’s time to seek professional COVID fatigue treatment if your fatigue is impairing your life. If you are having trouble getting out of bed and getting the kids ready for their day, you might need to talk to someone to find workable solutions. When you can’t be bothered to do your work, aren’t making sure the house is stocked with groceries, or won’t shower or take care of yourself, you risk a funk turning into something more. Your mental health is nothing to put off.

Seek COVID fatigue help by contacting a licensed professional therapist who can help talk through your COVID fatigue so that you can pinpoint what about the pandemic is truly triggering you. Talking to a therapist, whether in person or virtually, can help you acknowledge your feelings rather than stuff them down deeper. By acknowledging them you can process them and get past them. It might take some time, but with a little help, you can feel much more like your old self again.