I think we can all agree that we've been in quarantine way longer than we expected to be. Sure, it seems like the country is slowly opening back up again, but many are understandably confused about our current situation, still choosing to stay at home as much as possible. This sounded okay—even awesome—in March because it felt like a reprieve from the hellish commute most Pinoys endure just to get to work.
But now? You may have noticed another shift in your mood.
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In the beginning of the pandemic, you experienced stress and fear, both of which affected the quality of your sleep. You may have also found yourself randomly crying at times. These days, everything seems to be setting you off: your sibling's loud music, your mom's never-ending questions, the unbelievable heat, or the fact that you can't seem to get one hour of peace to yourself. Logically, you know that these are all sort of insignificant—it won't matter in a few years. So why does it feel like it's all too much to handle right now?
The thing is, even though it's been a few months, the stress, fear, and feeling like you're not in control—they didn't just disappear. Whether we're constantly thinking about it or not, there's still a health crisis, and it's always in the back of our minds. Using unwashed dishes as an example, psychologist Alexandra Lash, Psy.D. tells Bustle, "It's easy to get upset over things that are tangible. We don't have the answers we need when it comes to understanding the pandemic and the future, but we do know where a used cup goes...Many people are now past the ability to tolerate stress."
Before the pandemic, you probably dealt with stress by taking a break from people, traveling, exercising, or hanging out with friends—all of which are harder to do these days. Because of that, you aren't able to recharge, which makes it harder to be compassionate kasi yung feeling is parang ubos na ubos ka na. It doesn't make you a bad or mean person. It's normal.
If these feelings are keeping you from functioning at work or sleeping properly, it might be time to tell your support system and get you the help you need.
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