History Student Uses War Trauma To Reveal Why Some People Are Glad To Return To Pre-Pandemic Routine And Others Aren’t
No one ever imagined that an ordinary November would eventually turn our lives completely upside down. It seemed that having a global pandemic was totally out of the picture, as we all eagerly believed that the virus outbreak was an issue that would’ve been resolved relatively quickly.
Losing our loved ones, going through several restrictions to save the lives of those who were at risk and constantly feeling that mental distress gave many folks unwanted trauma. And now that we’re slowly coming back to our previous routines, the world has a few thoughts to share.
An online user took it to Twitter to reveal their intriguing observation regarding our world entering that pre-pandemic lifestyle while using a war trauma analogy. The thread received over 71K likes and nearly 14K retweets – and also encouraged other folks to share their own opinions regarding this thought-provoking remark.
More info: Twitter
Folks have different opinions about us entering that pre-covid lifestyle
Image credits: Antonio Rubio (not the actual photo)
It has been a couple of years since the outbreak and many would agree that it has all felt like an awful fever dream. We have had to pause our lives and isolate ourselves while hoping that soon enough we’ll be able to get back to our previous routines. Naturally, there was a huge controversy concerning the legitimacy of the virus, resulting in some people turning a blind eye to the governmental rules – however, most people understood that a simple surgical mask could keep the virus case numbers from rising.
Twitter user draws parallels between the history of war trauma and the fear of going back to pre-pandemic times
Image credits: AnaMardoll
Following our grand comeback to those pre-covid times, the ex-history major took it to Twitter to share their interesting observation that explains why folks are either very impatient to finally live like the virus never happened, or they’re concerned and would rather hold back. The said observation is based on a book that Ana read a while ago which mainly covered the evolution of courtship and dating dynamics during World War II.
Image credits: AnaMardoll
Image credits: AnaMardoll
The author went on to share that the book claimed that young American women felt like they’d been robbed of their youth by the war. And it’s understandable, as girls wanted to dance, party and live their lives to the fullest, but a global conflict arose that had completely different plans for the people of the world. It was a sacrifice for both the boys and the girls, but it felt inappropriate to complain – but yet, it wasn’t something that those young girls wanted or asked for.
Image credits: AnaMardoll
Image credits: AnaMardoll
The girls waited for the boys to come back and make up for the lost time, but once the boys were home, they didn’t want to dance and party. Those young men had seen unimaginable things and were full of grief and trauma. Many found the girls’ expectations distressing, as they’d seen death, so how could one party after witnessing so much cruelty? Moreover, many young men brought home European brides, stating that the women understood their trauma better.
Image credits: AnaMardoll
Image credits: AnaMardoll
In addition, folks were worried that the American women wouldn’t be able to find themselves a husband. Many men were lost during the war, and now the ones who came back home were marrying foreign women, as they’d lived through the same grief. The author was reminded of this book because they encountered two similar reactions regarding the world’s return to those pre-pandemic times – as half of the population faced an unthinkable amount of trauma and the others were upset that their “youth” was stolen.
Image credits: AnaMardoll
Image credits: AnaMardoll
The author pointed out that those American girls had every right to feel that way and be upset about their dreams not being able to turn into the reality once the war ended. However, they still had to get used to the new norm of life and that was hard. Ana then continued by saying that, of course, everybody wants the virus to be gone as soon as possible. But nevertheless, there’ll be a lot of individuals with trauma who won’t be able to start that new, virus-free chapter.
Image credits: AnaMardoll
Image credits: AnaMardoll
In essence, those who were fortunate and weren’t directly affected by this outbreak don’t have the same feelings in regards to us coming back to the life that we had before November 2019. Folks who have lost their family and seen the true evilness of the virus are traumatized, and aren’t ready to go back to the way the things were before. Besides, as mentioned by the author previously – we might not be going back to the pre-pandemic world at all, and all that we can do is accept this brand new way of living.
Image credits: AnaMardoll
We’ve all learned that our lives are extremely unpredictable and no one truly knows what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone in a few years’ time. It’s natural for folks to have contrasting views on situations, and though the grief of both parties is incomparable – it’s still very valid.
Fellow online users shared their stories and thoughts
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medical personnel often experience PTSD from cumulative, repeated traumatic events ---- and that's without a pandemic. Seeing colleagues suicide, seeing such unnecessary death, having such hatred spewed at them (us) ---- it's not war, no, but it is trauma, so PTSD is gonna happen.
There's been about an 80% turnover at the ICU where I work, and some people have left because they've been having symptoms of PTSD. I am not having symptoms, but I'm leaving too, because I'm getting older and the whole experience has had a terrible effect on my physical health. In a few weeks I start a desk job, and I will never, EVER, forget the horror of spending all day watching so many people die of a disease that's both preventable and incurable, and being terrified for my own life the whole time. Because yes, been through the whole PPE shortage, but at least I never had to use those garbage bags I bought for a protective gown...
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I am so touched by the last part talking about the disabled being forced to stay at home. Our society is extremely unfriendly against us. We are discriminated to find jobs, the sidewalks are often not good for us, many places dont have elevators, governments refuse to help us. We are forced to be locked at home by the same people who now complain that they cannot got out. All for being different, for being uncomfortable. I needed to spend a fortune to buy a scooter to be able to leave my house. They wouldnt give me any discounts for a car, the scooter or even a parking card for disabled (barely anybody gets help in belgium as disabled). Icannot even take my scooter in the buses because its not allowed so i cant take it to the hospital or next town to have a walk and some good time. The sidewalks here arent pawed so i need to ride with the cars in many streets, which is really dangerous. Some steeets dont even have ramps for my scooter. They want to keep us locked inside.
Yes, I thought that was a very astute observation. I am appalled at the number of selfish people who basically go 'oh, just lock away the vulnerable and let's get on with life'. I am constantly pointing out that the 'vunerable' are people who also contribute to society and not some sort of special subset. COVID has really brought out some astoundingly awful viewpoints.
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My daughter feels stunted. She didn't get to have a full senior year so those landmarks that push you into adulthood were gone. She feels bad for feeling bad about this. I told her she's grieving and she needs time to find her way like so many of us. It does seem there's nothing to look forward to though. Even I'm struggling w the mundane feeling this is going to be the rest of my life. Boring scary(war) w nothing to look forward to but severe climate change. Imagine what young people are going through. When I was early 20s I remember being excited for what the next day would bring what adventure I would go on all the possibilities. I felt this way until about 5 yrs ago and it's gotten progressively worse. Definitely feels like limbo.
I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but I'm really glad you shared it. I've felt this way for the past three years, like my life has had all the color drained out of it, and now there are only shades of grey. I don't even keep track of the days of the week anymore. I hope it passes, but I'm starting to really worry that it won't. This isn't living... it's existing.
Load More Replies...
I can see no way things will ever be as they were. For me, the biggest eye opener was the number of selfish weak people that are around me was eye opening. And I had a pretty low opinion opinion of folks before the pandemic. Watching people refuse to wear a mask, throw fits over them, and then insist on going out in public was unbelievable. I guess I always thought there was a base morality people had. That when things were tough, we buck up and do what is needed. Instead, I saw people so callous and selfish that they would rather kill another than be inconvenienced. And these same people will die rather than change their beliefs. To me it is scary as hell. I feel I live in a world with a significant portion of people whose selfishness exceeds anything I ever imagined. This has opened my eyes and will shape much of how I treat them going forward. I think the pandemic showed how ugly people can be and, if we aren't careful, these people will burn the world in their ignorance.
It's a false dichotomy to ask if isolation is "torture" or "easy peasy". Different folks have different experiences and have different personalities, so it's more nuanced then just "easy or hard". I found it easy, because I kept my job, my entertainment was already online gaming, and nobody I know died (so far). The only difficulty has been inability to see family that live overseas, but we talk over the phone, so contact isn't completely severed. I have friends that have suffered depression, their job was lost, or they are extraverts and they suffer in isolation in a way I don't experience, and some have lost family and feel hurt and anger. I'll be fine, my life will have hardly changed, but I have to understand that others have had an entirely different experience.
As an introvert, who hates people, this has been a god send. Working from home? God send. Not having to make small talk at the water cooler, priceless!!!
And Ukraine. I personally felt I was watching the US fall into a dystopian future and realizing as a woman of color that race was still not acceptable unless you were white. Watching people that claim to be proud Americans become traitors was just too much. I want to celebrate I want to see family I want to see the world but the world will never be the same
I want to keep stay away from me, don't breathe on me and don't touch me or mine.
Why does the author have to be identified as "queer, disabled" as it has no bearing on their article. Seriously curious , why even identify this for the article? Would it make the article more or less readable? thought-provoking?
I am going crazy (very possibly...)? Did the title change?
Load More Replies...
My parents got Covid (the Delta variant). No, they were not anti vaxxers and anti maskers. They were both fully vaccinated and were always extremely careful to the point of staying home most of the time and immediately taking a shower after they went out. Unfortunately, they only had the Sinovac vaccine available to them, which is not nearly as effective as Pfizer or Moderna. They got Covid because their domestic helper (also vaccinated) got it from someone and infected my parents. They were both in recovery when my dad's condition suddenly went downhill. It did not help that he already had underlying conditions that most likely compounded Covid. He passed away 1.5 weeks after getting Covid. My mom recovered but it was an uphill battle that took a lot of time and resources. It's good that things are slowly going back to normal but I am afraid now that the mask mandate has been lifted. I am still going to wear a mask until the day Covid has been declared fully manageable like the flu. I am traumatized and this is one of the main issues I am working on at the moment with my therapist.
My grandma died from covid. When my state lifted the mask mandate, i had a panic attack. genuinely.
My condolences, thats terrible. I also get really anxious now that people isnt wearing masks and in big crowds.
Load More Replies...
I am from India. My family was lucky not to have been infected during the first wave. But there were thousands who had to face the trauma of losing their loved ones. People lined up outside hospital dying because there was a terrible shortage of oxygen cylinders. The dead were lined up outside crematorium and burial grounds. This was what I watched while we were in lockdown. Just watching it constantly and forced to stay inside have me PTSD. Now I do go out for my job, but I am on medication for depression and anxiety disorder.
I have social anxiety, adhd and depression, not once did people ask to just don't think about it, fake it till you make it. Mental health was finally seen and now ... Everything is going back to normal so me an introvert with mental illnesses i have no control over will be seen as a freak that never leaves her house or wants to do anything social 😐 happy that it's over, sad because another flight that's been going on for my 20 years is going to resume
I pretty sure there are hundreds if not thousands different views on the post-pandemic situation. For me I do not feel traumatised in fact I do not want to return to how it was before. For me the pandemic time was great. I was able to work from home which was amazing! I didnt need to get up early in the morning, I saved tons of time which I would spend on commuting, I saved tons of time during the day, since instead of talking to collegues or browsing social media during work I could clean or improve my house and I didnt need to wait until I got home late in the afternoon, tired from the day to do so. In lazy times I could work from bed, I didn't need to dress up in uncomfortable office clothes. When I was sick I didn't lose any money going on sick leave, I could just work on my notebook. Now it is the time when I need to go back to the office and I am horrified.
I quit my job because I started having nightmares and even woke up unable to breathe from panic attacks because I was so scared I would lose my parents, and I would be the one to give them covid. I never told this to my work, but I made it very clear to them that I felt unvalued and unrespected for how hard my coworkers and I worked to keep everyone safe. I worked at a tourist attraction, the least essential place possible, and the amount of people who would not only refuse to comply with THE LAW but would fight about THE LAW was insane. I quit and moved across the country with my friend and I'm honestly the happiest I've been in years and not even worried about finding a job right now because the break is so refreshing.
The pandemic has had 1 good thing: the rise of video meetings. And yes. I don't like them at work, just like most people. But I come from a large family spread over most of my country. With the pandemic, we discovered that we could come together over video conference. It has been a true blessing in that regard for all of us. It forced us to learn something new that has been good.
I've always been an extremely empathetic person (because I have always wanted people to like me and accept me). My mother-in-law lived in London during WW2 in her early 20's. She told me that the only reason so many people survived was because when they were all sheltering down in the tubes, everyone would help each other with whatever they had. They shared food, clothing, etc. She said it was essential to their survival. Experiencing this pandemic has broken my heart for humanity, and for the younger generation. The level of selfishness, hatred, and ugliness is startling and shocking!! My 22 year old daughter lost out on her entire senior year of college. My younger daughter didn't get to go to prom, didn't get to have her high school graduation, didn't get to celebrate, didn't get to say goodbye to kids she has known her whole life. My now almost 23 year old daughter and her roommates (that all have degrees) are struggling to find work just to pay rent on an apartment.
There is a coda to this though. The boys came back traumatised, but they also learned to live with it. And the result? Was a baby boom. They'd seen death and many realised that they had lived and were going to make the most of it. The two populations thing is right - they both recovered at different rates, but they caught up to each other in the end. It just takes time. And in many cases it took both sides to work out what they could accept. Obligatory quote: "Normal is yesterday and last week and last month all taken together."
No, they did not learn to live with it. Ask anyone who got brought up in a home with a father who'd been to war.
Load More Replies... medical personnel often experience PTSD from cumulative, repeated traumatic events ---- and that's without a pandemic. Seeing colleagues suicide, seeing such unnecessary death, having such hatred spewed at them (us) ---- it's not war, no, but it is trauma, so PTSD is gonna happen.
There's been about an 80% turnover at the ICU where I work, and some people have left because they've been having symptoms of PTSD. I am not having symptoms, but I'm leaving too, because I'm getting older and the whole experience has had a terrible effect on my physical health. In a few weeks I start a desk job, and I will never, EVER, forget the horror of spending all day watching so many people die of a disease that's both preventable and incurable, and being terrified for my own life the whole time. Because yes, been through the whole PPE shortage, but at least I never had to use those garbage bags I bought for a protective gown...
Load More Replies... I am so touched by the last part talking about the disabled being forced to stay at home. Our society is extremely unfriendly against us. We are discriminated to find jobs, the sidewalks are often not good for us, many places dont have elevators, governments refuse to help us. We are forced to be locked at home by the same people who now complain that they cannot got out. All for being different, for being uncomfortable. I needed to spend a fortune to buy a scooter to be able to leave my house. They wouldnt give me any discounts for a car, the scooter or even a parking card for disabled (barely anybody gets help in belgium as disabled). Icannot even take my scooter in the buses because its not allowed so i cant take it to the hospital or next town to have a walk and some good time. The sidewalks here arent pawed so i need to ride with the cars in many streets, which is really dangerous. Some steeets dont even have ramps for my scooter. They want to keep us locked inside.
Yes, I thought that was a very astute observation. I am appalled at the number of selfish people who basically go 'oh, just lock away the vulnerable and let's get on with life'. I am constantly pointing out that the 'vunerable' are people who also contribute to society and not some sort of special subset. COVID has really brought out some astoundingly awful viewpoints.
Load More Replies... My daughter feels stunted. She didn't get to have a full senior year so those landmarks that push you into adulthood were gone. She feels bad for feeling bad about this. I told her she's grieving and she needs time to find her way like so many of us. It does seem there's nothing to look forward to though. Even I'm struggling w the mundane feeling this is going to be the rest of my life. Boring scary(war) w nothing to look forward to but severe climate change. Imagine what young people are going through. When I was early 20s I remember being excited for what the next day would bring what adventure I would go on all the possibilities. I felt this way until about 5 yrs ago and it's gotten progressively worse. Definitely feels like limbo.
I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but I'm really glad you shared it. I've felt this way for the past three years, like my life has had all the color drained out of it, and now there are only shades of grey. I don't even keep track of the days of the week anymore. I hope it passes, but I'm starting to really worry that it won't. This isn't living... it's existing.
Load More Replies... I can see no way things will ever be as they were. For me, the biggest eye opener was the number of selfish weak people that are around me was eye opening. And I had a pretty low opinion opinion of folks before the pandemic. Watching people refuse to wear a mask, throw fits over them, and then insist on going out in public was unbelievable. I guess I always thought there was a base morality people had. That when things were tough, we buck up and do what is needed. Instead, I saw people so callous and selfish that they would rather kill another than be inconvenienced. And these same people will die rather than change their beliefs. To me it is scary as hell. I feel I live in a world with a significant portion of people whose selfishness exceeds anything I ever imagined. This has opened my eyes and will shape much of how I treat them going forward. I think the pandemic showed how ugly people can be and, if we aren't careful, these people will burn the world in their ignorance.
It's a false dichotomy to ask if isolation is "torture" or "easy peasy". Different folks have different experiences and have different personalities, so it's more nuanced then just "easy or hard". I found it easy, because I kept my job, my entertainment was already online gaming, and nobody I know died (so far). The only difficulty has been inability to see family that live overseas, but we talk over the phone, so contact isn't completely severed. I have friends that have suffered depression, their job was lost, or they are extraverts and they suffer in isolation in a way I don't experience, and some have lost family and feel hurt and anger. I'll be fine, my life will have hardly changed, but I have to understand that others have had an entirely different experience.
As an introvert, who hates people, this has been a god send. Working from home? God send. Not having to make small talk at the water cooler, priceless!!!
And Ukraine. I personally felt I was watching the US fall into a dystopian future and realizing as a woman of color that race was still not acceptable unless you were white. Watching people that claim to be proud Americans become traitors was just too much. I want to celebrate I want to see family I want to see the world but the world will never be the same
I want to keep stay away from me, don't breathe on me and don't touch me or mine.
Why does the author have to be identified as "queer, disabled" as it has no bearing on their article. Seriously curious , why even identify this for the article? Would it make the article more or less readable? thought-provoking?
I am going crazy (very possibly...)? Did the title change?
Load More Replies... My parents got Covid (the Delta variant). No, they were not anti vaxxers and anti maskers. They were both fully vaccinated and were always extremely careful to the point of staying home most of the time and immediately taking a shower after they went out. Unfortunately, they only had the Sinovac vaccine available to them, which is not nearly as effective as Pfizer or Moderna. They got Covid because their domestic helper (also vaccinated) got it from someone and infected my parents. They were both in recovery when my dad's condition suddenly went downhill. It did not help that he already had underlying conditions that most likely compounded Covid. He passed away 1.5 weeks after getting Covid. My mom recovered but it was an uphill battle that took a lot of time and resources. It's good that things are slowly going back to normal but I am afraid now that the mask mandate has been lifted. I am still going to wear a mask until the day Covid has been declared fully manageable like the flu. I am traumatized and this is one of the main issues I am working on at the moment with my therapist.
My grandma died from covid. When my state lifted the mask mandate, i had a panic attack. genuinely.
My condolences, thats terrible. I also get really anxious now that people isnt wearing masks and in big crowds.
Load More Replies... I am from India. My family was lucky not to have been infected during the first wave. But there were thousands who had to face the trauma of losing their loved ones. People lined up outside hospital dying because there was a terrible shortage of oxygen cylinders. The dead were lined up outside crematorium and burial grounds. This was what I watched while we were in lockdown. Just watching it constantly and forced to stay inside have me PTSD. Now I do go out for my job, but I am on medication for depression and anxiety disorder.
I have social anxiety, adhd and depression, not once did people ask to just don't think about it, fake it till you make it. Mental health was finally seen and now ... Everything is going back to normal so me an introvert with mental illnesses i have no control over will be seen as a freak that never leaves her house or wants to do anything social 😐 happy that it's over, sad because another flight that's been going on for my 20 years is going to resume
I pretty sure there are hundreds if not thousands different views on the post-pandemic situation. For me I do not feel traumatised in fact I do not want to return to how it was before. For me the pandemic time was great. I was able to work from home which was amazing! I didnt need to get up early in the morning, I saved tons of time which I would spend on commuting, I saved tons of time during the day, since instead of talking to collegues or browsing social media during work I could clean or improve my house and I didnt need to wait until I got home late in the afternoon, tired from the day to do so. In lazy times I could work from bed, I didn't need to dress up in uncomfortable office clothes. When I was sick I didn't lose any money going on sick leave, I could just work on my notebook. Now it is the time when I need to go back to the office and I am horrified.
I quit my job because I started having nightmares and even woke up unable to breathe from panic attacks because I was so scared I would lose my parents, and I would be the one to give them covid. I never told this to my work, but I made it very clear to them that I felt unvalued and unrespected for how hard my coworkers and I worked to keep everyone safe. I worked at a tourist attraction, the least essential place possible, and the amount of people who would not only refuse to comply with THE LAW but would fight about THE LAW was insane. I quit and moved across the country with my friend and I'm honestly the happiest I've been in years and not even worried about finding a job right now because the break is so refreshing.
The pandemic has had 1 good thing: the rise of video meetings. And yes. I don't like them at work, just like most people. But I come from a large family spread over most of my country. With the pandemic, we discovered that we could come together over video conference. It has been a true blessing in that regard for all of us. It forced us to learn something new that has been good.
I've always been an extremely empathetic person (because I have always wanted people to like me and accept me). My mother-in-law lived in London during WW2 in her early 20's. She told me that the only reason so many people survived was because when they were all sheltering down in the tubes, everyone would help each other with whatever they had. They shared food, clothing, etc. She said it was essential to their survival. Experiencing this pandemic has broken my heart for humanity, and for the younger generation. The level of selfishness, hatred, and ugliness is startling and shocking!! My 22 year old daughter lost out on her entire senior year of college. My younger daughter didn't get to go to prom, didn't get to have her high school graduation, didn't get to celebrate, didn't get to say goodbye to kids she has known her whole life. My now almost 23 year old daughter and her roommates (that all have degrees) are struggling to find work just to pay rent on an apartment.
There is a coda to this though. The boys came back traumatised, but they also learned to live with it. And the result? Was a baby boom. They'd seen death and many realised that they had lived and were going to make the most of it. The two populations thing is right - they both recovered at different rates, but they caught up to each other in the end. It just takes time. And in many cases it took both sides to work out what they could accept. Obligatory quote: "Normal is yesterday and last week and last month all taken together."
No, they did not learn to live with it. Ask anyone who got brought up in a home with a father who'd been to war.
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