Anyone Experience PEM due to Pandemic Stress?

[2Cor.12:19]

Hi friends. I'm so thankful that there's finally some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. My fatigue level has been over the top this past year and I wonder how much of it can be attributed to pandemic stress.

Even though life hasn't been much different because I was pretty much homebound anyway, I've still missed seeing my family and being able to do simple things like grocery shopping, eating out occasionally or catching a matinee.

But the thing that has really bothered me has been the non-stop stress of all things related to the pandemic and politics that parade across my news-feed and TV screen every day. Add to that, trying to avoid getting COVID from "friendly" neighbors who think it's all a hoax hasn't helped either. Sigh...It's all so wearisome.

I've developed some new GI issues the past year which I'm being tested for, so that might be what's causing my added fatigue. But still, I can't help but think all the emotional turmoil we've all been in the past 12 months has got to be impacting my ME. It feels like PEM that won't go away.

So, I'm just curious if anyone else's fatigue, and/or other ME symptoms have gotten worse this past year.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

But still, I can't help but think all the emotional turmoil we've all been in the past 12 months has got to be impacting my ME. It feels like PEM that won't go away.

In my case, all the pressure (mostly internal and in my head) to be doing and going and the idea of normal living- well COVID has made my isolation easier in some ways.

I seem to have similar neighbors, altho they don't say its a hoax, their behaviors suggest they are some how exempted. No sign of masks around the apartment grounds here.

 

[Booble]

I'm in a relatively safe situation so I kind of like the excuse of not being allowed to do anything.

It does help though to limit your news watching.

 

[Wolfcub]

My fatigue level has been over the top this past year and I wonder how much of it can be attributed to pandemic stress.

Even though life hasn't been much different because I was pretty much homebound anyway, I've still missed seeing my family and being able to do simple things like grocery shopping, eating out occasionally or catching a matinee.

I have generally been worse or my ups and downs have been deeper during the past year. Even though "lockdown" has been no different to my usual life.

I am still not sure if it's some kind of stress with me, or if it's Covid itself (which I had in April 2020) which has exacerbated things.(though for a few weeks post-Covid I felt a great improvement)

The way I've been feeling, even the smallest adventure of normal life would have been too much for me. I would have got no pleasure from going out anywhere socially. I was just grateful to be able to eat and digest my food.
I have been feeling profound exhaustion after eating breakfast every day. Fine....until I start to do anything -even some small household task like washing a few dishes or cleaning the ashes from the stove about an hour later. I try to go for a small walk in the countryside next to my house each day. Some days it's okay, and some days I get pem from it. But I desperately want to get out and breathe some fresh air.

 

[Judee]

It does help though to limit your news watching.

I second this wholeheartedly.

 

[2Cor.12:19]

I have generally been worse or my ups and downs have been deeper during the past year. Even though "lockdown" has been no different to my usual life.

I am still not sure if it's some kind of stress with me, or if it's Covid itself (which I had in April 2020) which has exacerbated things.(though for a few weeks post-Covid I felt a great improvement)

The way I've been feeling, even the smallest adventure of normal life would have been too much for me.

@wolfclub I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard time. Holding a good thought for you that the beautiful spring weather and hopefully improvement with the pandemic will help you to recover some energy.