The Pandemic And It’s Effect On Our Lives
In the last few months, we have seen an unprecedented number of changes in our lives due to the coronavirus pandemic. From the way we work to the way we travel, everything has been affected by COVID-19. It’s not been easy on us and even though the numbers are decreasing and things are getting closer to normal, our lives still feel different in certain ways.
Today, I thought I would discuss some of the ways that I feel the pandemic has changed our lives since I haven’t really talked about that much on this blog other than a couple of posts. I also thought this would be a good way to check in on everyone. Here are the four main ones that first came to mind:
Mental Health
Coronavirus has been affecting people’s mental health since its outbreak. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronavirus is more likely to cause psychological distress than other diseases. They also claim that more than half of the world’s population experienced some form of mental distress due to the coronavirus pandemic. This includes anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The lack of social interaction for prolonged periods of time combined with the stress and fear especially at the start of the pandemic was quite difficult for a lot of people. And even though things are looking up now, some people have continued to have symptoms of these mental illnesses.
In general, I think the pandemic really caused damage to the mental health of many people around the world and it’s going to take a long time, to heal from the trauma that was left by the pandemic, lockdowns and everything that came with them.
I’ve talked about my mental health and the pandemic before when I talked about how doing things I enjoyed when I was younger like drawing, playing online games, painting has helped a lot. I’m still doing all these to be honest. I recently got two canvases to paint, I usually play online games like Apple and Onion Cat Rescue as well as Uncle Grandpa vs Aunt Grandma daily -they are weirdly wonderful and if you know me you know I am instantly drawn to things like that. I’ll definitely be sharing the paintings I come up with as well (unless they look awful in which case I will be burning the canvases.)
If you or someone you care about is suffering from mental health issues please do contact a professional. I personally suffer from anxiety and depression and I think its best to deal with the symptoms of mental health issues before they get worse.
Norms Have Changed
I believe that because of the pandemic a lot of things we often thought of as the norm have changed. Working full-time and in person was once the norm but after the pandemic started and caused people to work from home, working from home has become more accepted. It’s even become preferable for some people. Although most people are working in person again, some people have discovered they prefer working from home and have pursued work in fields where this is possible. Yes, I am some people…
Another norm I have noticed changing is that people are more open to speaking about mental health. Of course, there is still a lot of stigma, however, I have also noticed more people opening up about mental health especially online which I love.
Inflation And Finances
We’re still learning more about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. However, one thing is clear: the coronavirus has had an immediate effect on the financial markets. The coronavirus has caused businesses across the world to close down and employees to lose their jobs. While this is bad news for those who lost their job, it also means that more people will need financial assistance.
Not only have peoples incomes been affected, most countries (including Kenya) are experiencing an increase in prices which is consequently increasing the cost of living. Before the pandemic started, many people felt comfortable enough to have saved up for things such as buying a house or a car. However, people are now preferring to continue renting a home or leasing a car/taking public transport. When it comes to things like cars, we also have to consider our gas budget with the increasing prices of gas at the moment.
To sum it up, there are just so many costs we have to start thinking of now with incomes decreasing and prices rapidly increasing. Things have changed a lot when it comes to finances and I think it’s going to be a while before things look up. Of course, there’s always hope so let’s try to stay positive but let’s also not ignore the issues we have to face.
Highlighted What Our Priorities Are
I don’t know if this one is just me but I truly feel like the pandemic really helped me understand what my priorities were- money. Just kidding! But I have really been able to sort of reevaluate my life and think about what is important to me and what sort of future I want to have.
The pandemic made me really realise how important my friends and family are to me. It also helped me see that I want to travel a lot more than I have been able to before which is why I have been working online since it gives me more freedom to do that in the future. For me, making memories and spending time with those I love has become my biggest priority.
Conclusion
I had written a couple of posts about the pandemic when it first started, however, recently I was talking to my sister and realised a lot of things are still different and would probably stay that way for a while. And I think we’re all learning to live with that. I just thought I would share a sort of update post on life and the pandemic.
Has the pandemic had any longterm effects on your life? If so, what has changed for you? How have you been adjusting to these changes? Let me know in the comments below because I would love to hear your thoughts.
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