When the World Stopped: Navigating COVID Depression

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression isn’t futile. Did anyone suffer depresion or anxiety from COVID 19? I was already suffering from both so, COVID just made it worse.

Although, I wasn’t isolating when it hit, but my anxiety sure did increase. The panic attacks were becoming more frequent. In a way , COVID helped me to quit my job.

You see, Parkinson’s disease was becoming more noticable. I was a massage therapist and I was having trouble giving massages.

So, it was an excuse (a true one) to finally quit working. The COVID depression and anxiety just became worse after that. I felt so lost on how I was going to live my life.

Does COVID Make You Feel Depressed?

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression can be debilitating. With a significant portion of patients experiencing these symptoms, the question arises: Is COVID-19 causing changes to the brain?

I believe COVID can make you feel depressed. I’d say I was at a higher level of depression after COVID hit.

Research suggests that as many as 90% of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 25% of non-hospitalized adults experience at least one brain or mind-related symptom.

That includes fatigue, headache, sleep disturbances, depression, or anxiety, six months after the illness. I was definitely experiencing fatigue and more anxiety.

Is There a Relationship Between COVID-19 and Anxiety?

Just like depression, anxiety had (has) a stronghold on people’s mental state. Variants of COVID are still around and trying to find ways around the vaccines.

So, it didn’t just say “oh, I give up” after the first vaccines. People are still dying from it. So, the anxiety level factor is still very high.

Our guards are down because very few people are wearing masks. I admit, me included. It can come back to bite us at any time.

We think we have this under wraps, but a more deadly version could develope and wipe us all out. That is the anxiety factor.

Post COVID Depression Symptoms

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression is very stressful. I was wondering if any of you have post COVID depression symptoms? Like I said, I was already dealing with anxiety and depression. Did COVID make it any worse? Hard to tell.

It got worse, but I don’t know if it was necessarily due to COVID. I’ve been going up and down what seems like forever.

Anosmia and Depression

Anosmia is the inability to smell or detect odors, and it can be temporary or permanent. It’s also known as smell blindness.

Did any of you experience anosmia during or even after COVID? I experience it briefly during the pandemic. All I did was sleep, I was just so tired.

Some people also experienced depression. From someone who has already experienced depression, I hope you have recovered.

If not, all I can say is just take one day at a time. Nothing is set in stone. I know it’s difficult, but try to think positively. Don’t let the sadness bring you down.

My attitude has become better because of this. If you can’t afford professional help (like me), let friends and family know. Support is the key.

Other Post COVID Symptoms

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression has many prominent symptoms.

Post-COVID depression, sometimes referred to as “long COVID” or “COVID-19-related depression,” can manifest in various ways. Some common symptoms include:

Persistent Sadness: Ongoing feelings of sadness or hopelessness that don’t seem to improve.
Fatigue: Extreme tiredness or lack of energy that doesn’t improve with rest.
Difficulty Concentrating: Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
Changes in Sleep Patterns: Insomnia or excessive sleeping can occur, affecting daily functioning.
Loss of Interest: A diminished interest in activities that were once enjoyable or fulfilling.
Social Withdrawal: Avoiding social interactions or feeling disconnected from friends and family.
Irritability: Increased frustration or mood swings.
Physical Symptoms: Headaches, muscle pain, or other physical complaints without a clear medical cause.
Changes in Appetite: Significant weight loss or gain due to changes in eating habits.

Long COVID Depression and Anxiety

Those dealing with long COVID depression and anxiety, I hope you are dealing with it the best you can. I know it’s difficult if you’ve never dealt with depression and anxiety before.

For me, it’s not so much the depression (although it can be debilitating), but the anxiety. I can’t stand that feeling of unparalleled uneasiness and questioning everything.

Did I do this right? Did I do that right? Take one thing at a time, accomplish that and then move on to the next. Don’t worry about right or wrong.

If you need someone to talk to and you have no one, I’m available 24/7. Just shoot me a comment. I’m on the internet most of the time anyway.

Does COVID Exacerbate Mental Illness?

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression can definitely affect you mentally.

The pandemic has also raised concerns about mental illness, suicide, and substance use among other populations.

Essential workers and people with chronic health conditions may have experienced worsened mental health due to increased risk of contracting or becoming severely ill from COVID-19.

Many of these individuals, particularly those with chronic conditions, were already at risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes prior to the pandemic.

LGBT people have historically faced mental health problems at higher rates than their non-LGBT peers.

The pandemic has continued to negatively impact LGBT people’s mental health in different ways.

In addition, people experiencing prolonged COVID-19 symptoms, or long COVID, may be more likely to develop new mental health conditions or to experience worsening of existing ones.

Who Was Most Affected by Mental Stress During COVID-19?

I believe those on the forefront who had to deal with all the patients with COVID were the most affected by mental stress.

The doctors, nurses and paramedics had to deal with those dying and severly ill patients continuously. It was a never ending procession of sick people.

I used to be stressed out by my depression and anxiety. I can’t even imagine the stress that they must have felt especially dealing with the dying.

My hat (and heart) goes off to them for their unrelenting dedication and perseverance even when they were getting sick themselves.

4 Ways to Fight Anxiety and Depression During the Pandemic

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression to fight depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety can be serious, but both conditions are treatable.

Neuropsychologist Tracy Vannorsdall, Ph.D. emphasizes four ways to maximize your mental health and keep anxiety and depression from taking over:

Have a routine.

When the pandemic started, many people’s days felt unstructured and monotonous, but more recently, that’s changing.

“We’re getting back to a new sense or normal and falling back into a structure,” says Vannorsdall. “Compared to 2020, we are more used to being productive at home and have developed a pattern to our day with routines for work and school.”

For those who are struggling, taking simple steps to regain some structure can restore a sense of equilibrium, she says. “Get up at the same time each day. Get dressed. Give yourself at least one accomplishable goal to complete each day.”

Take care of yourself.

The mind-body connection is essential. “Engage in self-care,” Vannorsdall advises.

“Prioritize good sleep, good nutrition, fresh air and exercise. Find a safe way to socialize and stay connected with friends and family.”

Be careful with drugs and alcohol.

“Substance overuse is a risk among people who have anxiety and depression,” Vannorsdall says, adding that substance use disorder can become a serious problem in and of itself.

Get help: It’s easier than ever with mental health telemedicine.

If you or someone you love has symptoms of anxiety or depression, help is available.

In addition to in-person counseling, new options can put therapy as close as your phone or laptop.

“Telehealth has exploded,” says Vannorsdall. “That is a true silver lining of the pandemic.

Teletherapy and telehealth platforms have expanded access and helped patients engage with professionals without having to physically go to a doctor’s office.

It’s much more convenient for the patient, and evidence shows that it is quite effective.”

Sum It All Up

When the world stopped: navigating COVID depression to hopefully find a cure.

To sum it all up, COVID 19 is here to stay whether it be a variant or some other form of the disease. And so depression and anxiety because of it is possibly also here to stay.

But with the inflation, not many can afford to seek professional help (like me). So, how do you deal with it own your own. I believe communication is the answer.

Talk about it to family and friends. Don’t keep it bottled up inside. Also, if you’re one of those who believes in the vaccines, keep up to date on those.

Be proactive. Don’t wait till you get it and then you fall apart physically and emotionally. We have to beat this deadly disease before it beats us…into the ground. Until next time…

Articles About COVID Depression

-COVID-19 and Mental Health

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/covid-19-and-mental-health#:~:text=Some%20people%20develop%20post%2DCOVID,problems%2C%20and%20depression%20or%20anxiety.

-Managing Anxiety

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/managing-anxiety

-People With Long COVID Face Alarming Rates of Depression, Anxiety: Expert Q&A

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/997209?form=fpf

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy
“One Voice Of Concern During The Pandemic and After”

“The sobering truth is that the heroes of the immediate COVID-19 crisis, those who (at personal risk) took care of the sick and kept the economy ticking, are among the worst paid professionals – the nurses, the cleaners, the delivery drivers, the workers in food factories, care homes and warehouses, among others.”― Klaus Schwab, COVID-19: The Great Reset

“Psychologists point out that the pandemic, like most transformative events, has the ability to bring out the best and the worst in us.”― Klaus Schwab, COVID-19: The Great Reset

“History shows that epidemics have been the great resetter of countries’ economy and social fabric. Why should it be different with COVID-19?”― Klaus Schwab, COVID-19: The Great Reset