Since I wrote STILLWATER, the unbelievable happened. The book launched in July during the pandemic, which dominates our lives to this day. COVID-19 determines where we shop, how we shop, what we “must” wear, how we visit our doctors, how kids attend school, how people work, where people work if they can work, what sports can play, where they play when they play and on and on. The virus affects us physically and emotionally.
In STILLWATER in the 1950s, most people were ashamed to talk about their emotional problems. If they did reach out, there wasn’t much help available.
Today, the virus is having significant effects on almost everyone. Many of us are experiencing depression, lack of energy, sleep problems, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. If we don’t have them ourselves, we know people who do.
These symptoms occur in the old and the young. Young children “staying safe at home” lack the verbal skills to talk about their feelings, so they act out. They have meltdowns, they cry, and they have nightmares. Parents are overwhelmed, trying to work from home. They can’t afford or identify suitable childcare situations, ao they struggle to work from home while supervising their children’s virtual schoolwork. Older adults in assisted living and nursing homes are isolated in their rooms away from each other and their families.
And a lot of people lost their jobs. They’re struggling just to put food on the table for their families. Imagine the stress on these folks.
And can you imagine what this surreal pandemic would have been like in the 1950s?
Today we have help if you’re experiencing emotional problems. It might be challenging, but reach out for support—talk to family and friends. Stay connected to others, exercise, eat right, and get enough sleep. Humor helps too—watching comedies on television instead of the news, getting interested in sports again--although I admit it was strange watching the Kentucky Derby on Labor Day weekend with no crowds in the stands.
But if you can’t find silver linings, if everything is too much and you can’t feel any pleasure at all, it’s time to talk to a professional. Start with asking your primary physician for a psychiatric referral, make an appointment with a therapist, and join an online group dealing with similar issues. Don’t wait—reach out.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide or struggling with mental health issues, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the National Alliance on Mental Illness at 1-800-950-6264. And if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.