Nada Elawdan, MHC

It feels as though people have adapted to the mentality that the abnormal is the new normal. Every day brings new uncertainties and challenges. For the past year, with everyone having to readjust their lives and interpersonal relationships continuously, it comes as no surprise that two-thirds of Americans feel burnt out (Zencare).

Everyone is exhausted: exhausted from being scared, from staying indoors, from being alone, from not seeing loved ones. The rapid and radical changes in politics, public health, and the workforce is a lot to process. The pace that things are changing is abnormal but understanding why we feel this uneasy can help us cope more effectively. With lockdowns and restrictions, many of the things we did to cope with stress are no longer accessible. The activities that gave life meaning and joy have been put-off temporarily. Now, we need to find new ways to cope with all the unknowns occurring in our daily lives.

Symptoms of COVID burnout (Zencare):

• Physical symptoms including chest pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal pain

• Forgetfulness and trouble concentrating

• Engaging in escapist behavior (i.e. drinking excessively or other unhealthy coping mechanisms)

• Losing confidence in your abilities at work

• Feeling ineffective and unproductive

• Feeling detached from those around you

• General underwhelm about the work you're doing or professional impact you have

• Insomnia or other sleep issues due to racing or lingering thoughts
  

Different methods of coping with burnout (UCDavis):

• Exercise – moving your body helps release endorphins and adrenaline when frustration is building up

• Talking – letting out your thoughts and feelings to others is essential to avoid bottling up your emotions

• Constructive thinking – practice being compassionate and remind yourself that you are doing the best you can right now

• Mindfulness and gratitude – remind yourself to be in the moment and to take life day by day

Sources:

1. https://blog.zencare.co/covid-burnout-remote-work/

2. https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/covid-fatigue-is-hitting-hard-fighting-it-is-hard-too-says-uc-davis-health-psychologist/2020/07

3. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/remote-work-burnout-is-growing-as-coronavirus-pandemic-stretches-on.html

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7274952/

5. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/personal-social-activities.html