The Cost of Being Safe

Image by Lisa Beth Wright - Foggy Arboretum

You know the drill—wash your hands, wear a mask, and practice social distancing. Be safe. Everything will be better once we get people vaccinated. Except now we're being told it won't.

We will still have to wait longer, because of variants, etc. Bottom line? Life will never be normal again. At least, that's how it feels.

No, I'm not an anti-masker. I believe the disease is very real. I've worn a mask for almost a year now, starting back when a certain doctor said that masks didn't work. Remember that?

Now that same doctor is telling people to continue to practice the 3 W's, and saying it may be winter before things are "normal" again. I've given up on the whole year. I've had it with this man. I'm angry. Another year lost. What about the toll from that?

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Did you know I haven't had a hug for a year? That's life in a pandemic when you're single and live alone. People with partners and/or families don't think about that. Thank God the restrictions were lifted so I could get a massage. It's the only physical contact I receive and provides much-needed pain relief.

I have anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, and believe me—I suffered in 2020. I am still struggling. I need hope that there is an end in sight, and I'm not hearing that on the news, or from our government officials. I guess that's why I'm so angry.

I've had elevated pain levels, increased anxiety, insomnia, and killer depression. I've had times that I didn't care if I changed clothes. What's the point? It's not like I'm going anywhere. And of course, the days, weeks, and months have all blended.

Add to that long-term unemployment and toiling to launch my own business, and yeah—huge despair. And I'm one of the lucky ones. I still have my home.

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Most of us recognize that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis due to the pandemic. Many in the U.S. are suffering from anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

According to the CDC, as of late June 2020, 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse. Forty percent. Lord only knows what the numbers are now.

Also of note, the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., according to 2019 statistics, is suicide. Again, that's pre-pandemic. There are no statistics for 2020 that I could find.

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"Coronavirus is one of the three leading causes of death since February, when the nation had its first death from COVID-19. The virus has killed more than 360,000 people since then, making it a leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer."

There is no question that Coronavirus has been deadly. But, here's the problem. If the leading cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease and cancer, and people are afraid to leave their homes to seek treatment—see where I'm going here?

Things are improving, but how many people died as a result of the pandemic, but not because of COVID-19? How many lives were lost because people were afraid to seek treatment?

"Around 100,000 people died as a consequence of the pandemic, even if the virus didn’t directly kill them."

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The numbers are sobering. The cost of this pandemic has been high.

I am not suggesting we throw caution to the wind, but consider this—when will we be "safe enough"? What happens when the next virus strikes? There is already talk that another pandemic is inevitable.

Do we stop living? I'm all for sensible measures, but I cannot take much more of this, and I know many who feel the same. I have no answers, but I thought it was important to put the non-virus toll of the pandemic into perspective.

We have set a dangerous precedent. I have no desire to live the rest of my life in isolation. And honestly? That seems to be where we are heading.

Consider this—what happens when the next virus hits?