You might be dealing with pandemic fatigue

Pandemic fatigue is real, and most importantly, normal.

This type of burnout is a natural and expected reaction to the sustained adversity we all have been living in for almost 3 years now (5). Let’s face it, our lives were turned upside down in a matter of weeks because of the pandemic.

At first, everyone was using their “surge capacity”, which is the human adaptive system we tap into to survive in the short-term, in very stressful situations such as natural disasters (5,6). But the key word here is short-term; natural disasters are finite, but pandemics are not (6).

So, what happens when people have used up all their “surge capacity” and can’t renew it as the stressful situation is ongoing? People start experiencing symptoms like (3,5,7):

• Persistent fatigue no matter how much they sleep
• Being easily distracted and having trouble concentrating
• Irritation
• Feeling powerless, hopeless, unmotivated and burned out

As this happens, people start disengaging with protective behaviors and choose to stop seeking pandemic-related information (5). This is dangerous as it can result in unsafe behaviors and rising cases (8).

But remember, pandemic fatigue is normal and you are not alone in feeling this way (1). That’s why we’ve put together 3 things you can do to help you cope with pandemic fatigue.

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Pandemic fatigue is a type of burnout. It is a natural and expected reaction to the sustained adversity we have been living in for almost 3 years now.

It can be dangerous as it can result in unsafe behaviours and rising cases. #ScienceUpFirst

[1/3] pic.twitter.com/zUpGS4Vh6Y

— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced’Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) December 14, 2022

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