Covid-19/Mental Health Anyone Else Having Trouble?

[tirebob]

This isn’t something most people like to talk about but I think we should all be open to discussing our mental health right now in hopes of keeping the pressure valve is our minds from sticking causing serious issues moving ahead, and I am finding myself sitting here needing a bit of a group hug right now and figured some other Beyonders are maybe feeling the same and just think they are too alone without anyone to show them they are not.

My experiences are constantly up and down right now. One day I think I am dealing well and the next day everything is dark with no end in sight. I keep thinking about the very real fact I am probably going to lose it all and have to start all over again at 50 and that is really tough to bear. I also keep thinking about the people who I am responsible for and their financial and physical well being and if I can’t keep it together for them then their misery will be on my shoulders. I know this is not an issue of my individual making but it definitely does not make it any easier to accept. I also hate that I am less concerned with this virus than I am with the economy. I can’t pretend otherwise and it makes me sad that it truly comes down to the future versus the immediate in my mind. I don’t like why I feel this way but I do feel this way. I just can’t seem to get past it. I seriously don’t know if it is right or wrong but I feel it is valid but you are not allowed to talk about it or face being labelled as evil or some shit so you bottle it up. Conversely I am nervous and worried for those that are being dramatically affected by the virus itself and the fear that comes along with all of that and I am torn and paralyzed by the juxtaposition of the conflicting emotions.

WTF is happening to me?? I have always been one of those people that can be rational about heavy shit and am able to pull myself up when down but the load just seems to be getting heavier and heavier with each passing day. I don’t want to say I am anywhere near the point of thinking I would ever do anything rash but I can definitely say I am starting to see why people do get there. I think that is why I want to start this thread and hopefully give a voice to people who are having trouble dealing with all this and just want someone to talk through their anxieties and know that it is normal and they are not alone and can turn to people to talk it out and move forward maybe a little more light hearted than they were yesterday.

I hope I am not coming across as all “Oh woe is me” but right now hearing a bit of positive and understanding seems kind of important. Not just for me but for anyone right now who is starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by everything... Anyone else want to share your personal experiences and lighten your load a bit here? I think it does help just to put your thoughts into words and by no means will I judge you for it even if we are varying in opinion on aspects of all this shit we are dealing with together...

I just ask that we don’t use this thread for arguing about the ins and outs of the virus. There are plenty of other threads for that.

Thanks for letting me unload a bit!

Bob

[firebane]

For myself the two things right now mostly keeping me sane is my job and knowing in a couple months I will be moving into my own house.

But yeah its tough for a lot of us... I joke about it a lot but the groundhog day effect is real and being that we are in April already the snow and temps suck making it even harder.... your not alone.

I can also understand where you are coming from with the fact you own a business and have family.

[ExtraSlow]

Bob, brother, you are describing depression really accurately.
I am not an expert, but three important things to know :
1) Experiencing this illness does not make you weak.
2) your thoughts are very real, but they aren't always reality. Hear them but don't trust them when they are like this.
3) there are excellent resources for this sort of thing, and nobody will judge you for accessing that help.

[ExtraSlow]

And maybe the best "man's man" kind of explanation I've ever heard, in fishing terms.

https://youtu.be/ofnqDd9H8jw

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Also, the best way to tell which thoughts to trust and which not to, is this.
When you think you are alone, when you feel like you can't see past your own hands, that's when your thoughts are tricking you.

When you can see you loved ones, and you can think about better days ahead, those are the thoughts you can trust.

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A great listing of free resources to help out, including a neat daily text service called "Text for hope" available at:
AHS - Help in Tough Times - Resources (https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/amh/Page16759.aspx)

[The_Rural_Juror]

Hey Bob.

Over the past few years, the stigma of discussing mental health has diminished. People have been encourage to speak up when they need help because this is as important as any physical illness. This is could likely the toughest time that we will face for the remainder of our lifetime.

Know that we are in a country, a province, that has resources in place to help people and families; and stimulate the economy where needed. A benefit of living in an above average income city is that there will always be someone who can, and will, help their neighbours. We are fortunate for this, and it appears that the efforts that the AHS, the provincial government, and Albertans, in encouraging and actually social distancing is working. In my opinion, we are going to recover from this virus sooner than expected.

However, this will not be the end, as we await economic recovery from the rest of the world building demand for our energy, or goods, and bringing down unemployment. One source of comfort is that our largest energy customer, the US, is doing everything they can to stimulate the economy. They are likely at around $6 trillion of stimulus at the moment with promises to do more to reduce unemployment and hasten recovery. When they recover, we follow. In a sense, we are in a better position than most in the world to be neighbours to one of the few countries that has the ability to do so.

As you have probably heard from many, we will all get through this together. Many of us are in the same position and are willing to pull together to help each other out. You are a good man, a good father, husband, and we appreciate your contributions to society.

I would encourage you to reach out to your social circle and family, and take a look at the resources on the AHS website here: shorturl.at/bsyAB . This is important.

I would also encourage you to try out this free course online from Yale. "The Science of Well Being" to help understand why we feel the way we do. I am about 1/3 of the way through it and hope to finish it this weekend. https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being

We still have a ways to go, but this is a start.

[tirebob]

And maybe the best "man's man" kind of explanation I've ever heard, in fishing terms.

https://youtu.be/ofnqDd9H8jw

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Also, the best way to tell which thoughts to trust and which not to, is this.
When you think you are alone, when you feel like you can't see past your own hands, that's when your thoughts are tricking you.

When you can see you loved ones, and you can think about better days ahead, those are the thoughts you can trust.That right there is exactly why I started this thread man... I know I am depressed right now for sure and since we can’t just go over to a buddies and blow off some steam I thought maybe I could try and turn this into a bit of a positive for others and start a man shed here on Beyond and maybe give us all a place to turn and keep things in check a bit. I really appreciate you posting that little vid because it is the truth.

For me, like I was saying, some days seems much easier than others. Today I am feeling a bit better than I was the other day. Some things I am doing to try and control myself is staying away from the booze. I had a couple scotches yesterday for the first time in 3 weeks and I could tell right away I was starting to internalize a bunch of bullshit so I am going to keep avoiding alcohol altogether for while. Food on the other hand is also causing me a bit of grief. I have always used food as a means of feeling better when I am down but right now it is making me feel worse about myself after all the hard work I have been putting in over the last couple of years getting my weight under control. I am trying to keep myself in check but being bored at home it is so easy to hit the fridge and it isn’t stocked with healthy stuff like it usually is. I am going to town today for a food shop and I want to load up on veggies etc to try and give myself something to eat without resorting to prepper foods in the pantry.

[jutes]

I've always used exercise as a stress relief and it's probably the easiest thing you can do right now, it's always recommended by health professionals. Go out for a long walk if you can (I HATE running) and see how you feel after that. Since everything closed, I try to walk 10k either outside or on the treadmill everyday.

[AndyL]

90592

I said last week I was starting to get amused by the extroverts I know starting to go a bit nuts...

By the way you can go to your friends driveway/firepit and have a beer and shoot the shit 6' apart. Nothing wrong with that.

[tirebob]

90592

I said last week I was starting to get amused by the extroverts I know starting to go a bit nuts...

By the way you can go to your friends driveway/firepit and have a beer and shoot the shit 6' apart. Nothing wrong with that.

Honestly I am not much of an extrovert. I tend to fake that part of my existence. I am not unhappy with being home as much as why we are at home I think. Hard to peg right now.

[JRSC00LUDE]

90592

I said last week I was starting to get amused by the extroverts I know starting to go a bit nuts...

By the way you can go to your friends driveway/firepit and have a beer and shoot the shit 6' apart. Nothing wrong with that.

There are many on social media who will vilify you for doing that. Personally I have gone to my friends bar several times since this started. It's closed obviously, we sit at other ends of it pour our own pints, sani the taps and hands between pours, and visit.

It's the best part of this ordeal and I dgaf if people don't like it. We're careful, we're clean (he's a germaphobe at the best of times), it's safer than a grocery store and it provides an outlet.

We've laid off 1/3 of our staff Bob, and it sucks. If capital investment remains terrified, another third will come in a 2 months or so, whether we can work or not. A lot of contracts are being shelved indefinitely right now, so the fact that we can work doesn't matter if there's no work left to do.

You and everyone else who employs people are feeling the same things, for whatever that's worth. Add on actually caring about your people and it feels worse, being a soulless capitalist would have an emotional upside right now. Although I would prefer to feel what we're feeling right now as opposed to not caring about them.

I definitely am one who believes the human toll of this will be greater than that of the virus. Each seem to be unavoidable.

[tirebob]

There are many on social media who will vilify you for doing that. Personally I have gone to my friends bar several times since this started. It's closed obviously, we sit at other ends of it pour our own pints, sani the taps and hands between pours, and visit.

It's the best part of this ordeal and I dgaf if people don't like it. We're careful, we're clean (he's a germaphobe at the best of times), it's safer than a grocery store and it provides an outlet. People are shaming the shit out of anyone that is trying to have even the remotest bit of normal life no matter how extraordinarily careful you are being.

[JRSC00LUDE]

People are shaming the shit out of anyone that is trying to have even the remotest bit of normal life no matter how extraordinarily careful you are being.

Yes I know. And I'm not going to let that bother me, I am worrying about myself and our staff which consequently makes me consider everyone else by extension through my planned and deliberate actions. That's all I can do. Our industry is getting daily updates on how to operate with best practices and on the personal side, I have the unique opportunity of having a personal friend (microbiologist) who works in a testing lab. I use those information resources to formulate my decisions and am comfortable with them. What the social police cannot differentiate between are the brainless morons doing recklessly stupid things and, the rest of us.

I'm sure these responses will have some here mad at me. The thing is, there's no point in getting mad at them. They too are going through stress and fear and their actions are a reflection of that. Everyone has to respond in their own way to get through this while maintaining personal sanity.

[tirebob]

I've always used exercise as a stress relief and it's probably the easiest thing you can do right now, it's always recommended by health professionals. Go out for a long walk if you can (I HATE running) and see how you feel after that. Since everything closed, I try to walk 10k either outside or on the treadmill everyday.

I know you are right on this... I have such a hard time “exercising” specifically. It isn’t laziness, but I find it so monotonous. If I am not enjoying myself I find it difficult. I like doing physical activity like splitting wood and shit, but just not gym stuff. I have to work on this for sure!


Yes I know. And I'm not going to let that bother me, I am worrying about myself and our staff which consequently makes me consider everyone else by extension through my planned and deliberate actions. That's all I can do. Our industry is getting daily updates on how to operate with best practices and on the personal side, I have the unique opportunity of having a personal friend (microbiologist) who works in a testing lab. I use those information resources to formulate my decisions and am comfortable with them. What the social police cannot differentiate between are the brainless morons doing recklessly stupid things and, the rest of us.

I'm sure these responses will have some here mad at me. The thing is, there's no point in getting mad at them. They too are going through stress and fear and their actions are a reflection of that. Everyone has to respond in their own way to get through this while maintaining personal sanity.

Good on you man!

[AndyL]

There are many on social media who will vilify you for doing that.

There's no question - Saturday/Sunday morning the local FB was all about "to the asshole who called bylaw".

Don't let the idiots win. They wanna call someone and vilify you, let them get the education. There's no rule saying you can't leave the house. You can social distance without being a hermit if you wish. Hell have a dance party!

6c4KfEeKz34

I know Bob has some awesome hobbies - order up some new gear go sit on the deck and paint/brew/whatever.

Fire up the firepit invite all your friends - hula hoops at 6' spacing held down with tent pegs...

Fuck the idiotic "stay inside" morons on facebook

[adam c]

As someone who has mental health issues, you're not alone in feeling the way you are

I hate the stigma around 'mental health issues' but in reality it just is what is it, I've come to grips with it as it doesn't mean there's something wrong with me, but at the same time I know I don't function like others... my mental health issues are primarily anxiety related but even with everything going on, I've had days of depression and shutdown. Since we're in uncertain times, I don't honestly don't think it's out of line to feel sad and depressed, however there's a limit.

I've had days where I felt hopeless, and a feeling that this will never end, and what happens then, it took me to a very bad and dark spot that day, thankfully it hasn't occurred again but I'm sure it will. I've had a few days where I've just needed space and time for myself, I'm more of an introvert than extrovert but that doesn't mean it's still not hard to cope and grasp with the current new normal.

I've been walking on my treadmill when my thoughts go to sad or dark places to distract myself, I grab my laptop and throw on some junky youtube videos and distract myself, and it's definitely helped.

My wife, she has broken down a couple times, my daughter the same, if anything I would say it's NOT normal to be ok with everything going on, it's NOT normal to not be ok right now. However the best thing you can do is identify there's something wrong and do something about it, what works for me won't work for everyone and honestly what works for me right now, may not work tomorrow or next week. Not doing something about it, is the worst thing you can do.. and when I say, do something about it, I don't mean getting back to work, restarting the economy, coming up with a plan of action. I mean, to focus on yourself, your well being, for now.. talk to family & friends, get moving by going for walks, chores around your house you wouldn't normally do.

There's people in your personal life going through the exact same thing and just talking about it will help

The other day I heard a poem and it made me get a little teary given the current situation

[Tik-Tok]

People are shaming the shit out of anyone that is trying to have even the remotest bit of normal life no matter how extraordinarily careful you are being.

Thursday my 5yo daughter and I took a walk around the neighborhood after work, we ended up in front of one of her daycare friends houses, so I texted the parents to ask if we could say hi from the porch. We started chatting for awhile while the kids were running around playing no-touch hide and seek. 10 minutes later their neighbor came out and we were all standing 10' away from each other, now with 3 kids running around. About a half hour of us just chit chatting a fucking cop car comes cruising down the road staring us down, and picks up his mic. He didn't stop, but it was obvious another neighbor had called CPS on us.

I was fucking livid.

[AndyL]

Ooops wrong thread

[Kloubek]

I have made it clear many times on Beyond that I suffer from chronic mental illness. My meds keep me from having serious lows, but I'm never able to feel "good". Ever. It fucking blows, but it is better than being a raging emotional wreck I guess.

I only say this to remind anyone reading that I am always struggling, so I can totally relate with those who are. However, while I am a lost cause, most of you feeling the stress/depression right now are not. There are many things that can help.

Talk about your feelings open and freely with whoever you can. Don't worry about the stigma - it lets you know who your true friends are.
Exercise is important. Get your heart rate up. It helps.
Realize you are not alone - especially right now. The anxiety you are feeling right now is shared by many and is a normal human reaction to this trying time - especially with those who hold responsibilities as you do.
As you have been, avoid drugs, alcohol and smoking if you can.
Avoid sugar crashes and eat healthy to ensure your body doesn't get run down too from lack of vitamins, minerals, and general energy. There are also suppliments which have light evidence that they might work, such as Tumeric and St. Johns Wort.
Get outside - especially when sunny.
Avoid depressing movies, songs, and even some media right now. This can all have a profound effect in skewing your emotions to the negative side.
It is hard, but try not to worry about what may or may not happen. Sometimes the not knowing is harder, but if things turn out fine you will find all this worrying was for nothing. Worry about it when you must... not when your emotions tell you. Focus on the absolutes and not the possibilities.
On a similar note, try to use logic instead of emotion.
Don't worry about others. This isn't to say be a dick or anything, but this depression is yours to get through and it isn't helpful to worry about others when you are trying to repair yourself. You can't help others if you are broken.
Breathe. Breathe deeply and consistently.

Good luck. We are all feeling this to some degree and we are all in this together.

[Kritafo]

I am struggling hard core, my adult children are home but are both essential workers so I have a lot of alone time. I lost my husband in Jan, so the only counselling I get now is over the phone, and i'll be honest, it's just not the same as going to an office and having that time together. All the paperwork and legal stuff is pretty much on hold. So on top of the isolation, I feel like I can't propertly deal with my grief, my anxiety is out of control and i'm barely sleeping, life feels so "heavy" if that makes sense. The only thing getting me up everyday is the my puppy. I've resorted to melatonin and an over the counter sleeping pill or zquil, otherwise i'm up all night with a million things running through my mind. I don't have any family here except for my children and pretty much every friend has stopped calling. Nothing is normal, I don't know how to feel normal anymore.

[Kloubek]

So sorry to hear about your hubby, Kritafo. I can imagine this time is extremely difficult for you right now. Besides the things I listed for Bob, there isn't much I can really say to you other than to hang in there. We are all feeling messed up right now to varying degrees, and you are dealing with some even more serious shit right now. But I promise - it WILL get better.

[Darkane]

Social media is a nightmare and really affects people state of minds.

However, reading good news stories about the current problem is uplifting for me.

There are good news stories, trust me.

[tirebob]

Adam c and Kloubek - I appreciate your insights a lot. Learning to deal with this on a daily basis long term like that speaks a lot to your characters. I am thankful to you both for this!


Kritafo - I am really sorry to hear of your loss like this. I really hope you find people around you who help you through this tough time. I find my pups too do seem to help as well, even if it is just something silly the do that give me a momentary smile. Today we just went for a couple hour drive and dropped off some Easter chocolates with our kids. By no means life changing but I must admit it helped to just get out and about in the sun for a little bit. I hope this thread will give you a chance to maybe articulate your troubles and hopefully help you see we all have something to share. It is what I am needing myself right now. Please don’t be shy to shoot a PM if you feel the need to be a bit less public and just want an ear to bend...

[shakalaka]

This may be have been mentioned before, there is no shame in reaching out to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Even if you think you can manage your issues yourself, the professionals can often assist us in more ways than we ourselves can even think of. My wife is a prov. psychologist (edmonton.psychology on Instagram) and she tells me often how otherwise seemingly normal individuals with good careers (lawyers, doctors, dentists etc) will come to her and while initially be defensive and closed-off, eventually open up and realize how much they benefit from counselling, CBT etc. Especially these days when everyone is staying at home, it is even easier to access these services as they are able to operate through video chat and you can take advantage of that from the privacy of your own home. My wife's office has shifted to the online model for now, although I'd imagine a lot of other businesses are doing the same. I am sure it's not the same as doing it in person, but during tough times such as these, something is better than nothing.

In EI community I think there's still a huge stigma surrounding mental health. Though my wife says things are definitely changing as she is seeing more and more people from the community tying to address their concerns. The first thing anyone can do for themselves is acknowledge their concerns and issues instead of ignoring them. Then it is absolutely imperative to seek help from an expert.

And I have to admit, as someone who never really had any afflictions related to mental health and always thought people were being drama queens when they talked about anxiety etc., my eyes have opened quite a bit and perspective surrounding these areas significantly changed after having my wife come into my life. It's hard for people without such issues to understand what others maybe going through but the key thing to remember is help is out there and you are absolutely not alone.

To anyone who is feeling lonely, sad or otherwise down during these times - reach out to friends and family (via technology) and see if that helps. If it doesn't then a professional will be super helpful. As a side tip, download an app called Houseparty and get your friends/family to get it as well. You can play games with each other via there and in general have that interaction that everyone is being deprived of lately.

[Kloubek]

This may be have been mentioned before, there is no shame in reaching out to a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

It's hard for people without such issues to understand what others maybe going through


I agree that seeing a professional can help some people. I think the people it helps are limited to those who are unable to approach their issues with a calm, logical mind. Professionals can absolutely help people see the real scenario as it is, provide coping mechanisms, and is generally just someone to spill to which can be comforting in itself. I do think, however, that the usefulness IS largely limited to those who allow their emotions to supercede logic.

As for your second point I quoted, I will take it a step further and say it is literally impossible for one with a sound mental state to truly understand what someone with mental illness is going through. It is human nature to use our own opinions and own experiences to try to make sense of situations. Unfortunately, this cannot be applied to understanding mental illness because the feelings (both physical and mental) it generates just aren't comparable to anything they have experienced, and they don't come from a logical, sound mind position.

My typical way to try to explain it is this: "Take the worst day you ever had. Maybe you lost a job or a loved one. Then try to remembee how that felt, and multiply that feeling by up to 10. Then try to imagine how that enormous feeling would be to live with from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. For days. Weeks. Years. Decades."

If you can successfully paint that picture in your mind, then you might at least fathom how people with severe mental illness feel. But you still won't truly know.

Of course, most people experience varying degrees of this. What I just explained was me 15 years ago until I found a drug that eliminated that intense low. But even if someone only experiences half or a quarter of what I described, it is a very, very deep negative experience that can absolutely consume someone.

I am happy the stigma is starting to lift, but until we as a society address mental illness as real as something like a broken arm or a kidney stone attack, it will never receive the attention and empathy of others as much as it needs.

[Sentry]

March was rough and I mostly drank my way through it to be honest, my gf was in isolation due to someone at her work testing positive. Also my Birthday was March 10th and I was waiting until the weekend after to celebrate, of course when everything shut down and was cancelled. April has been going much better now that I'm able to see her again and the general attitude isn't so grim. Still working thankfully and have some money socked away in case Im not. Also don't have kids, so don't have that burden through all this.

[bjstare]

Good thread Bob. I don't think it makes you a bad person to be more worried about the economic side of things; this is the more real problem for the vast majority of people.

I don't have a lot to add that others haven't said, except RE: exercise. I know you live in a nice place to spend time outside... maybe try downloading a good podcast or two and just going for a long walk? That way you won't be bored. thesmokingtire is a great podcast, if you don't mind listening to Matt Farah.

Keep your head up buddy.

[Kritafo]

I did go for a drive today as well, just wandered, it was nice that it was sunny that certainly affects my mood. I bought my adult children Easter treats but nobody feels like celebrating, All the firsts are very hard. Thanks for listening, and for everyone that commented. Just nice to express it all.

[ExtraSlow]

I have subscribed to the AHS text4hope service and I'm liking it. Here's today's message :

[The_Rural_Juror]

I will do that too. :) Staying away from the other thread also appears to help.

[tirebob]

I have subscribed to the AHS text4hope service and I'm liking it. Here's today's message :

I must be safe because I still shower daily, often twice! Seriously though, I think just talking shit out and trying to do normal things is helping me the most right now. Starting this thread and just admitting to myself I was having trouble is a huge deal for me. Taking a drive and ding dong ditching chocolate at my kids was good for the spirit and simple things like washing dishes by hand and shovelling snow is more fun right now that doing nothing.

Today is starting out alright so I am going to keep it rolling as best I can by doing little things and trying not to dwell on the miserable aspects. Hopefully with the weather starting to warm up will help and get me busy enough at work I can occupy myself with that and see the possibility of financial survival start to emerge. That will be huge if I can do that.

I just want to say thanks everybody for being civil and helpful with this stuff. It means a lot when people extend a hand and express concern, especially over stuff they don’t always relate too personally.

[The_Rural_Juror]

Once this is all over, I would encourage tirebob to increase usage of paragraphs. :) Just kidding. We're all good. :)

[tirebob]

Once this is all over, I would encourage tirebob to increase usage of paragraphs. :) Just kidding. We're all good. :)I was never a writer... Verbal diarrhea at best.

[Disoblige]

Once this is all over, I would encourage The_Rural_Juror to decrease posts to < 20/day. :) Just kidding. We're all good. :)

[firebane]

The thing is when your limited in where you can go and what you can do.. Your just creating yourself another routine to substitute for another.

This makes it even more harder to not fall into a cycle because you keep trying to find things to do and it just becomes part of the routine.

I think the biggest issues for a lot of us right now is the weather. I speak to a lot of my co-workers who live in Florida and Houston and it would be warm and like +20c when we are -10 and getting snowed in.

I can say that I"m sure the majority of us are all doing what we can to absolutely stay positive and try to not get dragged down into feeling worse than it needs to.

[The_Rural_Juror]

Once this is all over, I would encourage The_Rural_Juror to decrease posts to < 20/day. :) Just kidding. We're all good. :)

:( I thought this was supposed to be the happy thread, commander.

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I can say that I"m sure the majority of us are all doing what we can to absolutely stay positive and try to not get dragged down into feeling worse than it needs to.

I agree with you on that.

[Disoblige]

Hahah, I think this is a healthy thread, doesn't necessarily mean 100% happy fun times.
Either way, I am just poking fun. We all have our way of coping :)

[The_Rural_Juror]

Hahah, I think this is a healthy thread, doesn't necessarily mean 100% happy fun times.
Either way, I am just poking fun. We all have our way of coping :)

I understand. Yous a good dude.

[civic_stylez]

Great thread Bob.

For me, its been my energy. Both physical and mental. I used to get up before work and go to the Y for an intense workout to start my day. I felt great.. the blood pumped, my mental state was sharp. Since this has set in, its just the loss of drive and desire to do anything. The wife and I go for walks to nowhere, drives to nowhere and i still ask people on the phone, "so what are your plans this week?" as if im to expect some cool answer... its just the nothingness of my days that are weighing me down.

Ive set up the home gym but its not the same. The mental aspect of actually going to the gym is gone. Im easily distracted at home and thats if I can get the motivation to do it at all.

My one saving grace is my commitment to learning while this slow down of life is occurring. Ive always had a real interest in learning to do video editing but never made the time to really learn. Last week, I downloaded Davinci Resolve and have poured a lot of time and effort into it to give my brain a new challenge besides deciding what snack I want for the 40th time today.

Through all my complaining, I realize that I am still very lucky and I have a great wife to help keep me company. I hope that those that are alone are doing well and keeping upbeat as I imagine this to be a lot more difficult for them.

I had an email sent to me with this link, and its definitely worth the short read.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/a-letter-to-ireland-from-italy-this-is-what-we-know-about-your-future-1.4215119

[The_Rural_Juror]

Thanks for the link civic_stylez

[cet]

I'm handling it pretty well. I think myself very fortunate that I'm still working and had a bunch of projects on the go to keep me busy. I have tried to keep my routine as close to normal as possible. Before being locked down I'd get up and go to the gym in the morning so kept doing that, only now, I work out in the basement.

Work has changed a bit with no travel but I have things to keep me busy. In the evenings I make dinner then relax or work on a project for a while before bed. Trips to the grocery or hardware store give me enough of an outing for now so that i don't feel like I'm imprisoned in my own home.

I still see my parents and brother about once a week, usually they will come over here to help with one of my projects. I don't have social media so even if someone was shaming me I couldn't see, not that I would care anyway. A pretty big bonus is that since school is out I now have my daughter week on week off. Keeping a 9 year old entertained is challenging but I'm loving the extra time I have with her.

I'm determined to come out of this better than when I went in; get more projects knocked off the list and use the extra time to learn new things. Since I'm cooking at home most of the time now anyway I may as well get better at it. I've signed up for Masterclass and working my way through the cooking courses as well as some others.

[The_Rural_Juror]

cet Chefsteps is also a good resource for cooking.

[JRSC00LUDE]

People are shaming the shit out of anyone that is trying to have even the remotest bit of normal life no matter how extraordinarily careful you are being.

Well it took awhile but a nameless hero negative rep'd me for my position here. People sure are emotional about this (obviously and for good reason) Thanks no name hero for your valued input, you take care of your mental health in your own safe way. No judgement here :)

[cet]

cet Chefsteps is also a good resource for cooking.

thanks - I'll check that out too

[The_Rural_Juror]

Well it took awhile but a nameless hero negative rep'd me for my position here. People sure are emotional about this (obviously and for good reason) Thanks no name hero for your valued input, you take care of your mental health in your own safe way. No judgement here :)

For which comment? I received at least one. Not that a rep is a concern at any time.

[JRSC00LUDE]

For which comment? I received at least one. Not that a rep is a concern at any time.

No it isn't a concern, it's just funny people can't call you out publicly haha

[ExtraSlow]

my absolute mountains of rep give me comfort in these difficult times. y'all need to just me more like phil collins.

[AndyL]

90680
:rofl: it actually does feel good to suddenly be kicking out hundreds of these ear savers "helping"

Something to do too...

[The_Rural_Juror]

90680
:rofl: it actually does feel good to suddenly be kicking out hundreds of these ear savers "helping"

Something to do too...

Are you on the YYC group? My first batch didn't adhere to the surface so I have to tweak the settings.

[AndyL]

Nope, not in Calgary group - not located in Calgary :D

However 8 dozen went to Calgary EMS & south health so...

[The_Rural_Juror]

Nope, not in Calgary group - not located in Calgary :D

However 8 dozen went to Calgary EMS & south health so...

Good man. Which STL are you using?

[AndyL]

Good man. Which STL are you using?

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4258904

I've done a few but this one seems right sized for the 99%

[JRSC00LUDE]

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4258904

I've done a few but this one seems right sized for the 99%

I'll start listening once you start serving the 1%, clearly. Let the peasants have their straps and buttons.

[AndyL]

I'll start listening once you start serving the 1%, clearly. Let the peasants have their straps and buttons.

I still say the beanies/headbands is the smarter way. But I guess AHS directed that they're not to use those so... Here we are...

Not sure how a strap/headband differs from their scrubs... :rofl: but I'm not a bureaucrat so...

Funny enough a local attacked me for offering them - claiming huge risk of infection. I asked him to direct me to the donning/doffing procedure where they wash their ears... :rofl: people.

I've got a lovely copper version for the 1% - Amazon's delaying my silver bars delivery for a month, so that's the best I can do for the 1% until you guys fix Amazon's wierd priority system :D

[JRSC00LUDE]

I'll wait for silver......

[Toilet_X]

Hang in there guys. I mean that, from the bottom of my dick.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Hang in there guys. I mean that, from the bottom of my dick.

Taint that the truth.

[Toilet_X]

Taint that the truth.

Aw it wont let me rep!

[The_Rural_Juror]

Aw it wont let me rep!

I Gotchu.

[rx7boi]

Being cooped up at home is no bueno.

I go for a drive after work from time to time so if anyone in the NW Nolan/Sage Hill area wants to go for a cruise and burn some dinosaur bone, PM me and we can set something up.

[The Cosworth]

I have gone through a big mental health journey in the last couple years. So while I have some tools and know the signs, this is very difficult right now for a lot of people in my team, my family, and myself included. Also going through more right now as my Dad is very sick and not looking promising.

tirebob, I know I am a little late to the game but if you need to chat or have any questions let me know. Not sure if you can find my number anymore but PM me if not.
Kritafo, sorry to hear. Long time no see and not the update you want.

[duaner]

This may be have been mentioned before, there is no shame in reaching out to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Even if you think you can manage your issues yourself, the professionals can often assist us in more ways than we ourselves can even think of. My wife is a prov. psychologist (edmonton.psychology on Instagram) and she tells me often how otherwise seemingly normal individuals with good careers (lawyers, doctors, dentists etc) will come to her and while initially be defensive and closed-off, eventually open up and realize how much they benefit from counselling, CBT etc. Especially these days when everyone is staying at home, it is even easier to access these services as they are able to operate through video chat and you can take advantage of that from the privacy of your own home. My wife's office has shifted to the online model for now, although I'd imagine a lot of other businesses are doing the same. I am sure it's not the same as doing it in person, but during tough times such as these, something is better than nothing.

In EI community I think there's still a huge stigma surrounding mental health. Though my wife says things are definitely changing as she is seeing more and more people from the community tying to address their concerns. The first thing anyone can do for themselves is acknowledge their concerns and issues instead of ignoring them. Then it is absolutely imperative to seek help from an expert.

And I have to admit, as someone who never really had any afflictions related to mental health and always thought people were being drama queens when they talked about anxiety etc., my eyes have opened quite a bit and perspective surrounding these areas significantly changed after having my wife come into my life. It's hard for people without such issues to understand what others maybe going through but the key thing to remember is help is out there and you are absolutely not alone.

To anyone who is feeling lonely, sad or otherwise down during these times - reach out to friends and family (via technology) and see if that helps. If it doesn't then a professional will be super helpful. As a side tip, download an app called Houseparty and get your friends/family to get it as well. You can play games with each other via there and in general have that interaction that everyone is being deprived of lately.

Agree with everything. The key thing you mention is worth mentioning again: "help is out there and you are absolutely not alone." It is so easy when things get difficult for people to think they are alone but especially in the current situation, there are a lot of people going through the same. The next big thing to deal with after this pandemic will be mental health issues cause by it.

I've benefited from counseling, CBT, and medication, and those should all be considered. And, of course, as have been mentioned, exercise, developing a routine, learn some of the mental health tools online, and talking with others about how you are feeling are very important. Bottling this stuff up or in some way ignoring it will only hurt people in the long-run.


For anyone who is interested, here are some supplements that may help:

Ashwagandha (stress): https://examine.com/nutrition/2019-ashwagandha-update/

L-Theanine (for mental relaxation): https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/

Rhodiola Rosea (subjective well-being; fatigue): https://examine.com/supplements/rhodiola-rosea/

Lavender (one study found oral supplementation comparable to lorazepam): https://examine.com/supplements/lavender/

There are others but it seems that examine.com might limit non-members' usage. I've never tried lavender but I use the first three and have found them beneficial.

[tirebob]

I have gone through a big mental health journey in the last couple years. So while I have some tools and know the signs, this is very difficult right now for a lot of people in my team, my family, and myself included. Also going through more right now as my Dad is very sick and not looking promising.

tirebob, I know I am a little late to the game but if you need to chat or have any questions let me know. Not sure if you can find my number anymore but PM me if not.
Kritafo, sorry to hear. Long time no see and not the update you want.I do Cos... Thanks for that man!

[z24_wheels]

I am battling crazy high blood pressure and resting heart rate. Major chest pain. Was in the hospital sure it was a heart attack. Nope, just good old anxiety. Some days are better than other.

[ercchry]

I’ve gone through some shit in the last few years... so this whole situation is actually an improvement for me, lots of hope and see tons of potential from it... I am listening lately to shitty 80s rock though... that’s slightly alarming

But from what I’ve gone through (long story short, completely rebuild my professional and personal lives... all in true manly silence)

This is all I have to add: use this time to work on a new skill. Worried about business? Learn a skill you know would be helpful but you’ve been putting off due to everything else. Now is the time, gives you purpose, and also a sense of not only accomplishment but hope that the future will actually one day be brighter and damn it if they day never comes at least you fucking tried.

That’s it. That’s all I have, if everyone in your life is healthy, you’ve exhausted every option the gov has made available to help out all the family and staff, that’s all you can really do. Sitting idle is the worst, it compounds all the issues and you don’t even notice it

[BavarianBeast]

Keep fighting the good fights. Avoid alcohol if you can, it just compounds any problems.

Practice mindfulness, try DBT (Marsha Linehan,not sure why this isn't taught in school), meditation and other healthy ways to be connected to your thoughts and emotions.

The strongest and soundest of minds I know are struggling right now. The good news is there is lots we can do at home to improve our bodies and brain to come out of this in a better state of mind than ever before. Stay strong, be safe and be hopeful.

[msommers]

Happy to see that the Text4Hope has been mentioned. I subscribed as well and some days I don't care but other days it gives me a chance to think slightly different and that is all that is needed to change the day.

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page17019.aspx

Any kind of routine is helpful for me. Making your bed every morning before you get onto, whatever it is you're going to do, gets the day going. I mean put in an effort and be able to check off that you at least did something. Oddly it helps.

Additionally, I've found that writing a list on the best of days helps me organize. But now instead of being organized, it helps me maintain some goals to feel somewhat productive. Lately its been house renos but now I calendar in time to do my online courses, otherwise I just don't have the momentum to do it.

I have no idea what happens at the end of this. Normal going forward is a blank slate, which might be good in the end but right now it's really challenging to feel like I'm moving forward at all. I've worked hard, spent a lot of time, money and energy to feel like I was progressing in a career I actually gave a shit about, and now it's hard not to look backwards and think what was the point.

Don't normally drink and I still don't. But for whatever reason we have more alcohol in the house than ever before and I definitely notice I'll reach for a beer out of sheer boredom. Then I don't sleep well. Vicious cycle.

This post was far more scatter-brained than I intended but this online journaling has helped me and probably will go to sleep now. Speaking of journalling though, my partner likes this book and I think I'll get a copy as well: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/paper/the-five-minute-journal/9780991846207-item.html

[The_Rural_Juror]

Thanks for sharing.

Text4hope still hasn't sent me anything. I signed up twice. But that is ok. You guys are better.

[tirebob]

I have to say... What a difference some nicer weather makes to the constitution! I am feeling so much better these last couple days compared to the last month. It also is helping bring in a bit more work so that really helps the outlook too. Hope to keep it rolling ahead!

[JRSC00LUDE]

Great to hear Bob!

[ExtraSlow]

A little sunshine makes a huge difference to me. Oddly, I find rain really soothing too, but thats probably because Calgary gets so little. If I lived in Vancouver I'd feel differently I'm sure.

[scboss]

This may be have been mentioned before, there is no shame in reaching out to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Even if you think you can manage your issues yourself, the professionals can often assist us in more ways than we ourselves can even think of.


I think this alone is what needs to change especially in males. I was going through a bunch of stuff 4 years ago (split with girl, legal stuff splitting condo, had to move in with family, leg surgery) all within 8 months and just took it on the chin. I talked to a few of my friends but in the end you still need to go to your own space when you leave the conversations. I was my own worst enemy. Worst part about this is with my career (personal trainer) you cant really show emotions so i legit just had to put on a fake smile everyday and about my business.

After being like this for about six months I got super lucky. My work sent me to a life coaching course. At first I thought it was the dumbest shit possible and almost didn't go but they told me it would help my career and insisted. Literally the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Ive always been a structure type of guy and having systems in place to change my mindset and bring awareness to my triggers was a game changer. Instead of getting the "it just takes time" or the "everyone has gone through this" conversations I had legit goals and a light at the end of the tunnel.

This is coming from someone who used to think the only option is to man up and take it. What I learned is all that is, is a waste time.

Since then I have taken 3 more courses and its paid off huge for myself, my family and my career. Im glad I stumbled upon this thread its great to see everyone in this community encouraging each other, especially with how everyone has been feeling as of late.

[tirebob]

I think this alone is what needs to change especially in males. I was going through a bunch of stuff 4 years ago (split with girl, legal stuff splitting condo, had to move in with family, leg surgery) all within 8 months and just took it on the chin. I talked to a few of my friends but in the end you still need to go to your own space when you leave the conversations. I was my own worst enemy. Worst part about this is with my career (personal trainer) you cant really show emotions so i legit just had to put on a fake smile everyday and about my business.

After being like this for about six months I got super lucky. My work sent me to a life coaching course. At first I thought it was the dumbest shit possible and almost didn't go but they told me it would help my career and insisted. Literally the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Ive always been a structure type of guy and having systems in place to change my mindset and bring awareness to my triggers was a game changer. Instead of getting the "it just takes time" or the "everyone has gone through this" conversations I had legit goals and a light at the end of the tunnel.

This is coming from someone who used to think the only option is to man up and take it. What I learned is all that is, is a waste time.

Since then I have taken 3 more courses and its paid off huge for myself, my family and my career. Im glad I stumbled upon this thread its great to see everyone in this community encouraging each other, especially with how everyone has been feeling as of late.

That is how I am... Always putting on the happy show for anyone who walks in the door and the second they leave feeling like it took every ounce of my energy. I am not like that with every person and situation but some days it is really a struggle and lately with all the shit going on it just overwhelmed me. This past week has seen a definitely upswing, starting with this thread and improving through the week as I started internalizing everyone’s words and experiences. Culminating with the last couple days I feel I am climbing back up, but I am definitely being aware of my true emotions more and am going to try staying ahead of the game and acknowledge what I am feeling early and not holding it in.

[Tik-Tok]

That is how I am... Always putting on the happy show for anyone who walks in the door and the second they leave feeling like it took every ounce of my energy.

It would exhaust me to no end talking with customers all day. Especially when the conversations are probably all similar, lol. You go hard for short bursts, but 8 hours is a long time.

I always enjoy talking to you though.

[ExtraSlow]

Always putting on the happy show for anyone who walks in the door and the second they leave feeling like it took every ounce of my energy. The time in my life when I had it worst, when when I was trying to start a business where I was the face of the business. I had to spend my ever waking hour presenting myself as someone who was already successful, already making money, already an industry leader, and I swear it was that pretense that nearly fucking got me. the fake aspect of trying to sell myself as something I wasn't yet, was truly awful.
I can fake a smile and do pleasant chitchat for a few minutes, but having that be my entire fucking job for nearly a year was really harmful. Realizing how badly I was damaging myself was one of the primary reasons I stopped trying to run that business and started working harder at getting back as a "wage slave". Running your own company is a many peoples dreams, but I really learned that it wasn't MY dream.

Incidentally, I still think I could have a good job and career doing what I was trying to do before, but I'd work for someone else. I actually think I know who, and we've already talked about it. He can be "president" or whatever, and I can be some level(s) below on the org chart. That works for me.

[TomcoPDR]

The time in my life when I had it worst, when when I was trying to start a business where I was the face of the business. I had to spend my ever waking hour presenting myself as someone who was already successful, already making money, already an industry leader, and I swear it was that pretense that nearly fucking got me. the fake aspect of trying to sell myself as something I wasn't yet, was truly awful.
I can fake a smile and do pleasant chitchat for a few minutes, but having that be my entire fucking job for nearly a year was really harmful. Realizing how badly I was damaging myself was one of the primary reasons I stopped trying to run that business and started working harder at getting back as a "wage slave". Running your own company is a many peoples dreams, but I really learned that it wasn't MY dream.

Incidentally, I still think I could have a good job and career doing what I was trying to do before, but I'd work for someone else. I actually think I know who, and we've already talked about it. He can be "president" or whatever, and I can be some level(s) below on the org chart. That works for me.

That's why you need to host more foodies, come as you are, be who you are, be who you naturally are, no judging. Then CCR flipstah

[ExtraSlow]

That's why you need to host more foodies, come as you are, be who you are, be who you naturally are, no judging. Then CCR flipstahCome as you are, as you were, as you wanted me to be.

[flipstah]

That's why you need to host more foodies, come as you are, be who you are, be who you naturally are, no judging. Then CCR flipstah

Real talk. We always do the lowdown over lo mein. Food brings people together and it’s not a judging place.

Funny enough, it’s how I had an opportunity to meet some of you heathens here and I cherish those moments.

So to anyone who feels alone at the moment, there are avenues that you can always reach out to chat or just have a sense of camaraderie.

[The Cosworth]

That's why you need to host more foodies, come as you are, be who you are, be who you naturally are, no judging. Then CCR flipstah

The beyond meets have never given me so much anxiety but enjoyment being around people. I just can't CCR.

[The Cosworth]

So on top of all this shit, my dad was hospitalized yesterday (non-COVID) and if he gets out, he will have to go somewhere else. He won't be returning home. Add to the issue is we can't see him and in his current state he is having a very difficult time operating a phone.

From what my mom is telling me the Nurses at Foothills are doing great work for him, but frankly, it isn't enough. Im devastated.

[The_Rural_Juror]

So on top of all this shit, my dad was hospitalized yesterday (non-COVID) and if he gets out, he will have to go somewhere else. He won't be returning home. Add to the issue is we can't see him and in his current state he is having a very difficult time operating a phone.

From what my mom is telling me the Nurses at Foothills are doing great work for him, but frankly, it isn't enough. Im devastated.

I am sorry to hear that. Let us know if we can help.

[tirebob]

So on top of all this shit, my dad was hospitalized yesterday (non-COVID) and if he gets out, he will have to go somewhere else. He won't be returning home. Add to the issue is we can't see him and in his current state he is having a very difficult time operating a phone.

From what my mom is telling me the Nurses at Foothills are doing great work for him, but frankly, it isn't enough. Im devastated.Brutal man... just ask if you need anything, even just an ear to bend.

[ExtraSlow]

Was finally able to crystallize why I'm so stressed about this virus stuff. Kind of have this chain of thoughts at the back of my mind constantly. 1) it seem pretty inevitable that most of us will get this long before any kind of vaccine is available. 2) Because of past history, I assume my family is at higher risk of infection than average, and 3) my family is the only point of social contact with two households of senior citizens, who although very healthy for their age, are at higher risk of death or hospitalization because of their ages.

So when my brain wants to feel bad, it basically tells me that I'm killing these old people.

Luckily, I haven't fell into the patterns that I remember from last time I had real depression, and mostly, I feel like i'm handling these stressful times sorta, kinda, okay, but...

[The_Rural_Juror]

From this course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being/


Understand that our strongest intuitions are often misleading (Annoying Feature of the Mind #1)
Understand that we judge ourselves relative to reference points which are often irrelevant and make us feel worse than we should (Annoying Feature of the Mind #2)
Understand that our minds are programmed to adapt and ultimately get used to things (Annoying Feature of the Mind #3)
Understand that we don’t realize how good we are at adapting and coping and mispredict how certain outcomes will make us feel (Annoying Feature of the Mind #4)

[The_Rural_Juror]

My turn now.
I may be going a little bit crazy, but I quite prefer being at home. I think I will attempt to resign again tomorrow. Something weird is going on. The virus must be messing with my head. My checksum is buzzing.

[Disoblige]

Directly helping those around you has been good to my mental health. Of course we should do it all the time but feels especially good now to know you're making a small difference.

Dropped rent 50% for next couple months for my tenants and will re-evaluate as months go on due to the situation. Fuck deferrals.

[max_boost]

Hang in there Bob. The last couple months have definitely been stressful times for everyone and there's still a lot of uncertainty with the immediate future. We all just trying to figure this shit out day by day, week to week etc.

[Kloubek]

So on top of all this shit, my dad was hospitalized yesterday (non-COVID) and if he gets out, he will have to go somewhere else. He won't be returning home. Add to the issue is we can't see him and in his current state he is having a very difficult time operating a phone.

From what my mom is telling me the Nurses at Foothills are doing great work for him, but frankly, it isn't enough. Im devastated.

Sorry to hear that. Thoughts are with ya. I imagine that not being close to loved ones in such times is widespread and heartbreaking for all.

And also to everyone else with their own struggles - hang in there. As we open up, some things will start to seem more normal for many, I imagine.

I only warn not to get too cozy with even the "new normal", as our new cases will certainly rise. I already see people starting to act like reopening is a ticket to throwing caution to the wind and living life like nothing is happening. Please be careful out there everyone. If you are already in this thread with your own struggles, they are gonna get a whole lot worse if this rips through your family.

As for my own mind, I have pretty much lost the anxiety feeling of all this covid shit and accepted it. It is what it is, and I can only control what I can. My concern is really economics and that being out of work for a year and a half really isn't great on a resume in this market where opportunities are scarce to begin with. I really want to go back to work and that will do wonders for me to feel normal. Right now, I'm just coasting along.... doing reno projects, etc. Not very productive for my career, but hardly a big deal compared to what many others are facing. I should consider myself lucky for getting paid to do home improvement projects. But supplies aren't cheap, and my account only has so much padding...

[Toilet_X]

You guys are truly good people. Fuckin incredible. What a forum.

[tirebob]

You guys are truly good people. Fuckin incredible. What a forum.

I have met a lot of people on this forum over the years and I can say that almost everyone of them have been very stand up, stellar humans! We may bicker and nitpick with each other here all the time, but pretty much everyone here would drop just about anything to put a hand out when needed by another, asked or not. Heck of a group of people!

[spikerS]

I have met a lot of people on this forum over the years and I can say that almost everyone of them have been very stand up, stellar humans! We may bicker and nitpick with each other here all the time, but pretty much everyone here would drop just about anything to put a hand out when needed by another, asked or not. Heck of a group of people!

Point and case, when I had my big accident 2 days after taking possession of my house and having to move, 1 Beyonder made mention that I needed a hand, and a bunch of Beyonders showed up to help move my stuff, no questions asked, and how I met some new friends.

[JRSC00LUDE]

You guys are truly good people. Fuckin incredible. What a forum.

Aren't you glad you didn't flush?

[flipstah]

If anyone needs a sounding board or just to chat to shoot the shit and not go crazy, let me know. We're all in this together, friends.

[Rocket1k78]

You're not alone Bob and this is not a case of Woe is you. When this first came about my only concern was the economy but near the end of april my wife who's never had any major mental health issue was basically shutting down because she couldnt cope with working from home and taking care of our kids. Mental health is a very serious issue now with everyone, hang in there Bob!

[vengie]

This is an amazing thread and reading through has helped me sort some of my own thoughts banging around in my brain.

Covid has definitely taken a mental toll on me.
My wife and I own and operate a small fitness/ yoga business in Airdrie. We are in our first year of operation and have operated at a loss thus far (to be expected).
January and February were trending in the right direction and we were damn near break even on the month! and then Covid hit...
We were shut down March 15, and paused all membership fees on April 1. Since then we have had no source of revenue. We aren't eligible for the $40,000 loan from the gov as our payroll isn't above the $20,000/year threshold because we utilize sub contractors to teach the classes...
So we have been doing everything we can to keep the doors open, but the stresses are mounting, and the conversations around what bankruptcy would look like are getting more and more real.

On top of that, my full time employment (while relatively secure) we have taken a 25% pay cut and are working longer hours, which has definitely put some financial stress on the home front.
I've taken on much more as we have completed layoffs as well.
I'm having a harder time managing my remaining team as I don't feel like I have the mental capacity or energy left to think! just grinding through the day to day.

My wife and I are also new parents with a 6 month old (as of today!) at home, so that's been an adjustment as well!

My mental health has definitely taken a massive beating the past few months, and I just feel so tired. Mentally and physically... and the anxiety of the unknown, of potential failure, having to rebuild financially, it's..... a lot.

Even just typing this all out helps me feel a little better, I know we are all in this together, but it fucking sucks.

On the coping front, I'm grateful for my home gym, I'm definitely in better physical shape now than I was coming into this.

[Disoblige]

The "post what you're drinking" thread should be a Beyond Zoom session where y'all show us what you're drinking ;)

[ExtraSlow]

The "post what you're drinking" thread should be a Beyond Zoom session where y'all show us what you're drinking ;)

Beyond drunk zoom meeting sounds nice.

[scboss]

This is an amazing thread and reading through has helped me sort some of my own thoughts banging around in my brain.

Covid has definitely taken a mental toll on me.
My wife and I own and operate a small fitness/ yoga business in Airdrie. We are in our first year of operation and have operated at a loss thus far (to be expected).
January and February were trending in the right direction and we were damn near break even on the month! and then Covid hit...
We were shut down March 15, and paused all membership fees on April 1. Since then we have had no source of revenue. We aren't eligible for the $40,000 loan from the gov as our payroll isn't above the $20,000/year threshold because we utilize sub contractors to teach the classes...
So we have been doing everything we can to keep the doors open, but the stresses are mounting, and the conversations around what bankruptcy would look like are getting more and more real.
.


Its definitely rough right now for our industry. Have you thought about taking some of your classes online? I think going forward this is gonna be a huge market esp the age group 50+ that are afraid to go to the gym.


On a side note I have been playing with some self care tactics again and its been paying off huge for being productive and staying on track with all of these distractions. I was given the question in my course if someone says "what have you been up to" what would you say? 87% of people said the were busy or something negative. This usually means they haven't been doing anything for themselves and are probably just working.

Basically the strategy is you choose ten things that you think will make you happy, healthy and give you fulfillment. When I was struggling the most I was hitting 3-4/10 and on average a person will hit 3 or less. For you to actually be putting yourself into a good space you need to be doing minimum 6. You would be surprised what you are actually putting your time into. This strategy will help you create discipline around the things that are important for your mental health instead of relying on motivation.

[ExtraSlow]

Anytime you can have dog pics and useful insight, that's a good day.
91700

[ExtraSlow]

This thread has died down a bit, which I hope means more people are feel well most days. That's great. I know the ai shine really helps me.

If you aren't doing well, and you think you should be, don't add that pressure to your list of problems. Try to string together one good day in a row, and then, see if you can do two. I know I always felt worse when sitting still. If you can't get in a workout, go for a walk. Of you can't clean he garage, clean one shelf.

And best advice I ever had for helping yourself was to try to help someone else. Go leave positive comments on someone's LinkedIn posts, or mow your neighbors lawn.

Good luck out there friends.

[msommers]

I've apparently given out too much rep lately but that post needs it.