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My family is very lucky and privileged to be able to self-isolate and social distance. My husband can work from home I can look after our daughter. Before the pandemic, I was looking for work because we just moved to the state in January. Now, I do not expect to find a job anytime soon nor do I expect to be able to place my daughter in daycare. We have enough money to eat and still buy things we want. I feel guilty because I know so many people are now not able to afford basic needs. My mental health, and my husband's as well, has declined. I have experienced intense anxiety and depression that are directly related to the pandemic. I know my husband is also struggling with depression. I started struggling with insomnia in March 2020 and I have tried a variety of prescription sleep aids. To help, I've invested in a few pieces of home exercise equipment and working out about 4 or 5 days a week. Exercise has always been the effective way for me to reduce anxiety and depression. I have also started therapy, which is virtual and one more thing that I am privileged to afford that many others cannot. The overwhelming thoughts that things are not normal, that we cannot go about life like we want to or would normally, sometimes pull me down. There has to be time in the future when we can return to what we did before but I also know that this will become a common occurrence with climate change and I have a hard time thinking about living in a world that looks like this often.
July 6, 2020