In the past 2 weeks or so, I have noticed a shift in my own mood as well as the moods of those around me. The stay-at-home order and quarantine is creating a state in humanity similar to cabin fever. Cabin fever is defined as “irritability, listlessness, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter”. The stay-at-home order began on March 23rd here in Philadelphia. March 19th marked the first day of spring. Let’s look at what really happened here…

Americans live for the first day of Spring. It’s a day that marks hope and positivity. On March 19th, we were excited for the upcoming Spring and Summer months. And 4 short days later, we were mandated back into our homes under the stay-at-home order. Our hopeful hearts experienced a heavy blow; uncertainty, fear and frustration set in.

Now for those of you who read my blog, you know that I’m not a morbid writer. I like to write entries filled with silver linings, hope and levity. In reading this post so far, you may be feeling depressed, anxious and validated in your feelings of anger and fear. Now here comes the silver lining, hope and “kick in the ass” to shake all of us from this state of quarantine fatigue.

I felt it was important to highlight how the days aligned because today, May 16th, we are in a new phase of the quarantine known as Quarantine Fatigue. We went from experiencing cabin fever from the winter to quarantine from COVID-19. Our mental health is very vulnerable right now and we need to do something about it if we want to come out of this quarantine fatigue alive and strong.

Quarantine is meant to keep us safe. Author Nicola Yoon has something to say about safety: “Safety is not everything. There’s more to life than being alive.” We need to start living. On May 9, 2017, Andrew Murphy quotes, “You are confined only by the walls you build yourself”. You may be thinking, well that’s easy for you to say, Andrew! The metaphorical walls we build ourselves are much easier to break down than the literal walls of our homes that we have been staring at for nearly 2 months now (Let’s agree to disagree).

And yes, the metaphorical walls may be easier to break down but that is not the point. The point is, we need to live. We need to live beyond simply being safe. That does not mean that we should minimize our need for safety. We are alive because we are safe. AND we are working so hard to be safe, so we can live.

What does all of that mean for you?

For me, it means that I am going to start living. I am confined by the walls of my tiny little apartment, sure. I am no longer going to also be confined by the walls that I build myself. I am breaking down those walls today. I am going to find ways to live in the confines of this quarantine. Just as quarantining is critical for our physical health, living a life of purpose and living a life worth living is critical for my mental health.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy talks about a “life worth living”. Check-out the Emotional Wellness Tab for more on a life worth living.

Check-out the Self-Affirmations Tab for more of a kick in the ass to inspiration and hope.