From The New York Times: “The coronavirus pandemic is an altogether different kind of cataclysm — an ongoing, wavelike, poorly understood threat that seems to be both everywhere and nowhere, a contagion nearly as psychological as it is physical. Death feels closer, even well away from the front lines of emergency rooms, and social isolation — which in pre-Covid times was often a sign of a mind turning in on itself — is the new normal for tens of millions of people around the world.”
I think it has been helpful in perhaps showing politicians that they are not as powerful and all controlling as they thought they were.
I hope it gives them wisdom that they treat their cattle a bit nicer, because we are too many to control.
People are tired, they have been for a long time.
They have nowhere to go to form relationships based on honesty and dialogue.
And people will rise up if oppressed for too long. Many have lived alongside the oppressions, but nevertheless
been affected by the status quo. Some felt the brunt of it, but it is a situation that politicians should never have become so comfortable in. No state goes on forever. I doubt it is a given that only “vulnerable” people end up suffering.
No question the lockdown, and people having their lives and businesses torn apart by the irresponsible apocalyptic hysteria being generated, is resulting in many overdoses, not to mention people having legitimate medical concerns ignored by COVID-obsessed hospitals. So increases in suicide would be completely understandable; it would be surprising if there were none.
On the other hand, some people won’t make it to the doctor to get “evaluated for depression” and hence will not start on SSRIs or other such drugs, which may bring the suicide rate down. I know a person who has gotten off of antipsychotics because the doctors were unwilling to come to his/her home to administer it. This person is doing quite well in the aftermath, despite trying many times to stop in the past without success. I’m using s/he construction to obscure any guesses at the person’s identity.
Well, if they’re talking about the Fear–rather than the virus itself–it’s entirely psychological. The Fear seems to be killing large numbers of people as they commit suicide and develop stress related illnesses.
Even though it’s contagious your odds of dying from it are slim. Not arguing the lock down here but pointing out how ridiculous the Fear is. Caution is smart; hysteria is not.
This reminds me of The Bird Box. Only the monsters aren’t Out There. They’re in our screens.
Way easier to avoid.
Don’t watch TV and moderate other media. Read more literary classics and talk to real people through Skype/Zoom/or the phone. Write letters. I hear physical stationary is making a comeback now. It gives a sense of physical contact that e mails don’t.
Are psychiatrists really challenged by this question? It seems likely there will be no actual research into what happens or why. Perhaps the challenge they don’t want to face is why more people will suddenly qualify as “mentally ill” when it’s all supposed to be a “biological brain disease.” But we know that no one will really challenge them on that point except their “patients,” whom no one will listen to, because, after all, they are “crazy.”
“a contagion nearly as psychological as it is physical.” It does seem to be panning out to be more psychological than physical.
