Breaking Point

We are now a bit under two weeks into 2021 and I feel like I am just getting a chance to breathe.  The holidays were a weird and almost foreign feeling time this year and the first few days of January flew by so quickly.  With all of the stress and craziness that went down during the month of December, it makes sense that it's taken some time to recover from putting out all of the fires.

My family had a COVID scare over the holidays.  We had someone be exposed to a family friend who then came down with a low grade fever...

and BOOM!

~ Apocalyptic Nuclear Explosion ~ 

We were already feeling some pressure as a family because we were meeting my brother's future in-laws for the first time ever.  This first time meeting meant that they were living with my family for a full month - talk about being thrown into the deep end.  They are lovely people and we all get along just fine, but this would be a stressful situation for anyone in a normal time.  Add a pandemic into the mix.... oh and planning a small wedding... and it's no surprise that emotions ran high.

And it's not just my family that is feeling the heat.  This pandemic has greatly increased the levels of stress and mental health issues in our population.  A study in April by Boston University found that the prevalence of depressive symptoms and serious psychological distress has tripled since 2018.  The levels found in this study were higher than those seen after other large-scale traumas like September 11th or Hurricane Katrina. A CDC survey in August found that '62.9 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds reported an anxiety or depressive disorder, a quarter said they were using more drugs and alcohol to cope with pandemic-related stress, and a quarter said they had “seriously considered suicide” in the previous 30 days.'  These younger individuals were the population that had the largest disruption of their social lives.  They were seeing cancellations of events such as weddings, graduations or important school years for socialization.  And this isn't one big event.  It's not like one thing happened and then things got back to normal relatively quickly.  It is ongoing and often seemingly unending.

Isolation is a big concern for older individuals during this time as well.  In 2018, older adults accounted for almost one out of five suicide deaths.  Yet, the National Institute on Aging (NIH) states that while depression is a common problem for older adults, it is NOT a normal part of aging.  Many older adults don't want to talk about their feelings.  As a matter of fact, most people don't want to talk about their feelings, but many accept that the benefits of therapy or seeking help outweigh the discomfort of opening up.  It's my opinion that opening up and really exploring your own mental health is actually a very challenging task.  If anything, doing so will make you stronger and more prepared to handle whatever this crazy world throws at you next.

What I've been trying to do more and more is acknowledge whatever feelings I encounter, good or bad.  It is important, however, that this acknowledgment doesn't turn into to dwelling.  Oftentimes, individuals feel that if they allow themselves to feel their emotions, they won't be able to control them.  And that is a very real concern.  However, experts from Yale Medicine suggest that allowing space to sit with your uncomfortable emotions can lead to compassion for oneself.

So with that in mind, I am looking to the future and the positive things that I hope 2021 will bring us.  First and foremost, my brother is getting married next week!  I am beyond excited to welcome a new sister into the fold and be able to celebrate with a small group of close friends.  We planned ahead with our cautionary travel, quarantining and testing, so that we are doing the best that we can as far as COVID-19 goes.

Who knows what else this year might bring..... 

-Vicky

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