Has Covid made being lonely, easier?

[Colster]

Another topical nugget of debate.

Have the Covid restrictions made being either lonely or depressed, any easier?

Has the knowledge that others are detached from their loved ones or support networks, made you feel any differently from your normal mindset, or are issues heightened.

Do you feel that there has been more support and understanding about our issues surrounding loneliness and depression.

For me, I have largely enjoyed restrictions. I cannot state enough how much I enjoyed regular normal places, utterly devoid of people. Simple walls with the dog, without any noise, traffic, people.

I liked to way that my immediate community became a little more tolerant, for a while.

The dislikes have been queuing at stores, with great lines of people. The selfish hoarding. The polarised political views.

But in the whole, I have enjoyed it. Undecided as to whether it made my loneliness any easier. It is my choice not to be around people, and in that essence, it made things easier. But I gained no comfort from it. Not did I enjoy in others were apart.

What were your experiences, has any of it changed you, and have you made different plans in readiness for return to normality?

 

[user 139760]

Indifferent, as a whole. Thought I do enjoy the fact the streets are deserted at 2 am, it reminds me of the walks I used to take when I was younger, before this city had so many DAMN people in it.

 

[idaniel]

For me it was mixed. At first, I thought isolation would not be so bad, because at the time I was already living a fairly isolated life. And I was delighted to be forced into remote work. I would not have to see my boss or the loud co-worker in person. That was a fantastic bonus. I grew to love the grocery pickup and delivery services. I was living the life.

But over time I began to miss my family. A lot. I live a few hours away from family, and I had cut down on all of my activity to limit exposure.

Then in an odd twist, out of necessity I suppose, I became reacquainted with old some friends through FB messenger and the like. One friend and I came to an agreement. We would both isolate so we could take monthly adventures together and tour the Texas countryside to break out of the monotony. That was magic. Since then I got my shots, and I am visiting old friends/family on a limited basis.

So for me, the virus altered things enough that I can have a semblance of a life again. But that came at a steep price. Lots of folks are gone. I have one relative who is in hospice care. And I found out I have a lot of friends/relatives who choose partisan politics over sound, rational thinking.

 

[Sarah G]

I've enjoyed the limited visiting and being visited. It's easier to avoid socialising than to deal with social anxiety. I hope it's a great reset of abolishing family parties

 

[Sci-Fi]

We don't have enough restrictions around here anymore, it was nice when there was except for the lines outside of stores. Our Superstore grocery store has stopped doing sanitizing like they used to, they rarely wipe the self checkouts down and the sanitizer bottle at the entrance is gross, it is dirty I won't touch it. I have sanitizer in my car and wipes if need be. Our cases around here spike significantly and there were supposed to be restrictions in stores but yeah that's not happening. I try to keep my distance from people as much as possible. I have neighbours who don't even abide by the rules at all, they have flocks of people over when they aren't supposed to, and it's not like you can report them because he is a cop, and so are half of his family.

I do like the mask wearing and hope it never goes away, especially now in the winter time. Helps keep some of your face warm.

 

[user 139760]

We don't have enough restrictions around here anymore, it was nice when there was except for the lines outside of stores. Our Superstore grocery store has stopped doing sanitizing like they used to, they rarely wipe the self checkouts down and the sanitizer bottle at the entrance is gross, it is dirty I won't touch it. I have sanitizer in my car and wipes if need be. Our cases around here spike significantly and there were supposed to be restrictions in stores but yeah that's not happening. I try to keep my distance from people as much as possible. I have neighbours who don't even abide by the rules at all, they have flocks of people over when they aren't supposed to, and it's not like you can report them because he is a cop, and so are half of his family.

I do like the mask wearing and hope it never goes away, especially now in the winter time. Helps keep some of your face warm.

Yeah, I been watching the reports too,Sci. I can say the same about Montreal. Legault put us all on lockdown again for like three weeks, reversed it, but I feel the problem would have been easier solved if people gave a damn instead of not caring about anyone but themselves.
Guess things are going baçk to normal at last,huh?

 

[Finished]

No difference for me.

 

[ewomack]

Living in a climate that makes going outside pretty unpleasant for 7 to 9 months of the year, I probably already had quite a bit of tolerance for isolation. Having fairly antisocial hobbies, especially reading, only increased that tolerance. On top of that, Covid has made me realize that I didn't need to go out as much as I used to, because I find myself not missing the trips to stores, restaurants, movie theaters or other places that I would visit sometimes just "to get out." Having food delivered to my home has become a new indulgence. Movies and shows delivered instantly at home, with pause features, means I don't have screaming bladder syndrome in the middle of a movie in a theater. Nor do I need to deal with annoying people talking through movies that I paid $20 to see on "the big screen." If anything, Covid has increased my liking for staying at home for days on end. I can communicate with friends digitally, though I did still see a few in person over the past few years.

Despite all of that, I do miss being in crowds of people, or watching people go about their daily business, or overhearing conversations in store lines, or seeing people just being people, which sometimes was pleasant and other times entertainingly irritating. Watching a movie in a theater filled with people is a very different experience from watching one at home with one or a few people. Not going to restaurants reduces time waiting in line, waiting for the food, etc., but it also reduces the social dimension of eating out en masse. Mostly, I welcome the increased isolation, elimination of commuting and not having to contend with self-absorbed or entitled people. But I can say that something is missing and I simultaneously do feel more lonely inside. At times I think I could be living in a submersible at the bottom of the ocean. Then the isolation feels a little oppressive. Suddenly, I reach out to people who I've only known digitally for the past two years and desperately make an attempt at some sort of social connection. Forums like this one help (a few of the forums I used to frequent have vanished), but they also have some limitations. So, overall, I'm happier 90% of the time with increased isolation, but that other 10% of the time can really give me a massive emotional whacking.

 

[Forgottendanfan]

My life during the height of the covid restrictions was very much the same as my "normal" life. I barely have any friends and am long term unemployed, so it made very little difference to me. I'm not posting this as a "woe is me, get your violin out" type of thing. Just stating the truth.

 

[mizera]

This sounds terrible, but I love covid. I shouldn't say that because of all the suffering that's happened around the world. But when everyone else is "socially distanced" it makes me feel better about my natural social isolation. But the best thing of all is working from home. It started only 5 months into my new job and I get to spend all day with my cat in my apartment. My cat is sick and needs me around. I don't have to worry about co-workers asking me about my life, gaining an impression of me as a lonely middle aged man without a partner or social life. I'm sure they all know this, but I don't have to feel the pressure of being "cool" to offset whatever negative impressions they have of me. I am quite friendly with one guy in the office, and have squandered that relationship because I never go into the office, and he always goes. I think he probably feels like I don't care that much about him, otherwise I'd come in once in a while and talk. So I was happy for omicron, which was a good excuse to stay away. But now omicron is leaving here, and it doesn't look like there's a new one coming, which makes me a bit sad.

 

[Forgottendanfan]

^
I very much relate to that.

 

[Memyself]

Living in FL, ruled by mini Trump where all safety measures are banned. Wave after wave of insane number of infections. But, I personally self isolated in 2018 and covid has no impact.

 

[U-122]

Another topical nugget of debate.

Have the Covid restrictions made being either lonely or depressed, any easier?

Has the knowledge that others are detached from their loved ones or support networks, made you feel any differently from your normal mindset, or are issues heightened.

Do you feel that there has been more support and understanding about our issues surrounding loneliness and depression.

For me, I have largely enjoyed restrictions. I cannot state enough how much I enjoyed regular normal places, utterly devoid of people. Simple walls with the dog, without any noise, traffic, people.

I liked to way that my immediate community became a little more tolerant, for a while.

The dislikes have been queuing at stores, with great lines of people. The selfish hoarding. The polarised political views.

But in the whole, I have enjoyed it. Undecided as to whether it made my loneliness any easier. It is my choice not to be around people, and in that essence, it made things easier. But I gained no comfort from it. Not did I enjoy in others were apart.

What were your experiences, has any of it changed you, and have you made different plans in readiness for return to normality?

I watch euronews, on both continents it's covid this covid that lockdown isoloation life is hard blah blah blah it never ends. Best time of my life. Zero impact on me at all. I'm already alone. I was never in lockdown, never isolated myself, had it very early 2020 but it lasted many months. I didn't stop coughing until may-june. Was very bad for me but going to an american hospital near me meant death because they get funding based on the number of covid cases and deaths. I've heard of non covid deaths being written off on covid. I still went out for groceries. Went for walks. Streets were empty, no cars, air was cleanest since i don't know when, 1900's maybe. I had beaches, ocean, streets, highways to myself. Stores were ok because of long lines but nothing terrible. 10 in, 10 out. I prefer less crowded. No standstill traffic, no stress. I haven't had it this good since 9/12-9/15 when everyone suddenly became civil to each other and stayed home glued to their zombie boxes watching the fires. Best time of my life. Unfortunately covid took some good harmless people but evil careless trash around me never even got sick or had it and survived.

 

[U-122]

We don't have enough restrictions around here anymore, it was nice when there was except for the lines outside of stores. Our Superstore grocery store has stopped doing sanitizing like they used to, they rarely wipe the self checkouts down and the sanitizer bottle at the entrance is gross, it is dirty I won't touch it. I have sanitizer in my car and wipes if need be. Our cases around here spike significantly and there were supposed to be restrictions in stores but yeah that's not happening. I try to keep my distance from people as much as possible. I have neighbours who don't even abide by the rules at all, they have flocks of people over when they aren't supposed to, and it's not like you can report them because he is a cop, and so are half of his family.

I do like the mask wearing and hope it never goes away, especially now in the winter time. Helps keep some of your face warm.

If you like cheap chinese tube bandanas from ebay, Buff clones, i wear them over mask and year round when outdoors. I hope masks are permanent. In disgusting nj savages still breathe down my neck when waiting in line to check out. Clueless savages don't know how to keep distance. That kind... impossible to maintain distance. They are always in my face. Cops are the most ignorant and arrogant creatures around here. Even cops stay away from cops. lol

 

[Colster]

I watch euronews, on both continents it's covid this covid that lockdown isoloation life is hard blah blah blah it never ends. Best time of my life. Zero impact on me at all. I'm already alone. I was never in lockdown, never isolated myself, had it very early 2020 but it lasted many months. I didn't stop coughing until may-june. Was very bad for me but going to an american hospital near me meant death because they get funding based on the number of covid cases and deaths. I've heard of non covid deaths being written off on covid. I still went out for groceries. Went for walks. Streets were empty, no cars, air was cleanest since i don't know when, 1900's maybe. I had beaches, ocean, streets, highways to myself. Stores were ok because of long lines but nothing terrible. 10 in, 10 out. I prefer less crowded. No standstill traffic, no stress. I haven't had it this good since 9/12-9/15 when everyone suddenly became civil to each other and stayed home glued to their zombie boxes watching the fires. Best time of my life. Unfortunately covid took some good harmless people but evil careless trash around me never even got sick or had it and survived.

Yeah, I did a lot of travelling. Just me and the dog, staying in the back of my car. The roads were empty, fuel became ridiculously cheap, and nobody was likely to interrupt us to say we shouldn't be anywhere.

Also reflecting upon death records. I know if a few folks who's death is recorded as complications caused by Covid, when their was no symptoms present. If anything happened to anyone, it was Covid.

What was a little bizarre was how different areas reacted. Distinctively, I recall being in a Bo-Ho area of Crosby, where people were raging war over neighbours using their side of the street. Mature woman, purple with rage, over a public strip of pavement.

But I contrast this with another little village, which name I'll not give, as it is untouched by panic. Dog and I, wander into this twee village, a post office, general store, and a hairdresser, and nothing else but rows of houses filled by the elderly.

We usually stop at the store, but a cold drink and a snack, then sit in the tiny village garden opposite, just watching it all. Initially, at the height of panic, I was hesitant of doing this, simply not wanting to offend others. But, as I watched folks, they were not remotely bothered. Conversations with the elderly residents revealed that they were last caring. Having lived through many scares, If it took them at this stage of life, then so be it. They were not leaving the village, and it is very rare that anyone else entered, so I'm effect, they were all isolating together, but no fuss or drama.

Several times I went back to this village. Always had a little conversation. Not once did I hear of anything untoward.

 

[Memyself]

If you like cheap chinese tube bandanas from ebay, Buff clones, i wear them over mask and year round when outdoors. I hope masks are permanent. In disgusting nj savages still breathe down my neck when waiting in line to check out. Clueless savages don't know how to keep distance. That kind... impossible to maintain distance. They are always in my face. Cops are the most ignorant and arrogant creatures around here. Even cops stay away from cops. lol

There is a high death rate among cops, you know they a the too tough to mask up and vaccinate, fighting covid with guns and tasers.

 

[U-122]

There is a high death rate among cops, you know they a the too tough to mask up and vaccinate, fighting covid with guns and tasers.

I don't get involved with them, they are in their own world, i'm in mine. They chose their career. Power hungry trigger happy.

 

[TheRealCallie]

Aside from the half assed attempt to do something for several months in 2020, things really have changed where I live. As for my personal life, other than my kids before home more, my life didn't really change. I work at home and have for the last 12 years, so that wasn't an issue for me. I still talked to most of the people I have always talked to and still did my volunteer stuff because well, the world was still turning and some **** still needs done, even if everyone was at home.

 

[U-122]

Yeah, I did a lot of travelling. Just me and the dog, staying in the back of my car. The roads were empty, fuel became ridiculously cheap, and nobody was likely to interrupt us to say we shouldn't be anywhere.

I forgot to mention fuel was cheapest since many years ago when it was "cheaper" than usual for some reason, due to i can't remember what, overproduction underconsumption or something like that, but no catastrophic events or anything. Price gauging still happened regardless of cheap fuel. Now some shelves are empty again. I don't buy 98% of garbage they push to general population here, but i had trouble finding grains i need. Now even worse. Things just disappear. Now signs posted for some items/brands due to production issues item will be delayed by weeks. I get by with what i have.

 

[U-122]

Living in FL, ruled by mini Trump where all safety measures are banned. Wave after wave of insane number of infections. But, I personally self isolated in 2018 and covid has no impact.

Have you ever met the infamous Florida Man?