Pandemic fatigue has become an unwanted sensation around the world that leaves  people feeling frustrated, alone, hopeless, depressed, and overwhelmed with the ongoing restrictions placed on our society today. Significant changes in mental as well as physical health during the pandemic have been reaching unprecedented numbers and experts believe they will continue to rise.
You may be feeling hopeless during the pandemic, and while this is unfortunate, the good news is that you are not alone. Millions of people around the world are feeling this sense of fear, anxiety, and exhaustion as the corona virus continues to affect every family around the world.
Regardless of how you feel about the lockdown, most people can agree that it has taken quite a toll on their life. Many people are experiencing pandemic fatigue and struggle to feel a sense of normalcy again.
Between 2001 to 2017, there was a 31% increase in suicide rates. Experts worry that the pandemic will only worsen these steadily climbing numbers because of financial instability and the lack of community. As of July 2020 some communities in California such as Fresno and Seaside have reported an increase in suicide rates since the beginning of the pandemic. Based on the predictions of the experts, the numbers most likely rose significantly since then.
Students are having a hard time dealing with all the stress that has arrived due to covid-19. It can be especially challenging to tackle school work when there is a lot of outside stress to deal with as well. Their relationships, sports, and mental health have been declining drastically.
Chloe Panggat (12) has been having problems with her motivation levels. She loves to play volleyball and she has always been a valued member on her team. Recently, due to covid-19, she has been losing her desire to play and condition with her team because of all the restrictions placed on the team.
“I’ve just really lost the motivation to go and focus on my sport with everything that is going on,” said Panggat.
Mollie Eastwood (10) has been struggling with her sport life as well. She has been an Allstar cheerleader for almost 5 years and has never experienced anything quite like this. Before the pandemic, athletes had to practice no matter what.   The team could not afford to have athletes missing. The coaches rarely cared about sickness, but that has rapidly changed.
“I don’t have the motivation to do anything anymore because I’m always at home. . . It has been really hard to go to cheer practice when my whole team isn’t feeling it like before,” said Eastwood.
Ashlyn Soriano Silva (11) has been on an endless loop ever since the start of the pandemic. All of her problems from before the Corona virus have amplified since then.
“My mental health has slowly started to deplete. I started to lose motivation to do all the thing I loved. . . I would just stare aimlessly at my phone and literally switch through the same three apps,” said Soriano Silva.
Just like the students at Heritage High School, families in the Brentwood community and around the country are suffering. No one wants to get sick or put others at risk, but there are too many cases of mental health instability in our communities that need to be taken into account. The cure should not be worse than the problem itself.