How have you been during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

[Mummelmann]

Sorry to hear about everyone's troubles in these trying times, especially people who suffer from anxiety, depression, or things like OCD. I work with clients within the neuropsychiatric spectrum of diagnosis and the ones with anxiety issues and OCD are having a terrible time during the pandemic. Our work also slows down due to much less opportunity to practice social skills as well as everyday management/coping skills with them.

Personally, I feel okay, my mental and physical health are both good. However, I feel bad for my family, I live about 550 miles away and there are strict travel restrictions in place at home (in Norway). Basically, if I want to go home, I need to spend 10 days in a quarantine-hotel all alone, and I pay the cost myself. I had originally taken the holidays off to spend Christmas and new year's with my loved ones since I only see them twice a year and I go home every other Christmas, but due to the restrictions, my vacation is canceled since I'd be spending 10 out of my 11 days alone in a hotel.
My mother belongs in at least four different risk categories, being obese, having severe asthma and allergies, severe heart trouble and incurable Myeloma diagnosed two years ago. Both my sisters also have compromised immune systems since they take chemo treatment for severe rheumatic issues (Bechterews Disease, a genetic disorder) and are also both asthmatic. To make matters worse, my aunt who was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia in August has now been told that treatment was completely without effect and it got worse quickly, meaning she's in late-stage 4 and is being offered simple life extension treatment and pain management. My parents are wrecked by all this, and they're lonely and have very few strong people to help and support them. Especially my dad, he has no one to talk to and trusts very few with telling how he feels or what he's thinking.

Being "trapped" here is hard, I've managed to become a good supporter over the last decade and I feel bad for not being able to be there for my family. Sometimes, I almost feel bad for doing well for myself and having good health, I wish it was more evenly distributed among those I love.

Like others expressed before; this place is really great in that it allows for threads and talks such as this. Writing about how you feel can be extremely cathartic and helpful, even if it's with strangers, this is well-known within psychology. It's easier and safer to express oneself in writing and with some degree of anonymity, and over my 13+ years of being a member here, I've seen how the community takes care of another, supports and showers with love and understanding. It's one of the main reasons I've stayed for long.

Thank you, everyone, who shares, and everyone who lends their support to others. If I can ever help in any way, be it advice or simply an attentive ear and eye, I'm up for it. With my profession and experience, I know very well the deep and difficult mechanics of depression, anxiety disorders, and compulsions, among other things, this is literally what we do all week long with our kids at work. I also have my own personal history of various issues, ranging from depression to bouts of social anxiety, as well as lack of social skills, resulting in periods of extreme behaviors during my adolescence.

Stay strong and keep on writing your hearts out! Many of us are reading!