Life with a disability is hard enough. Whether the disability can be seen or is invisible to others, it can be difficult to navigate life with a disability. It can be even more difficult given the state of the global pandemic. With the state of the world, people have gone from fall risks to high risk. Now there is a new danger outside of your door in a world full of other equally important dangers.
The lifting of mask mandates is a bit like shaking up a snow globe. We spent so many years waiting for each snowflake to fall into place after the chaotic blizzard of 2020. And now that we may finally feel settled, we finally feel safe. Here comes life again to shake up the snow globe. So how do we cope with this change? With this fear?
Well, I think it starts with realizing your role in all of this. The mask mandate said that you were required to wear a mask, not having a mandate doesn't make it illegal to wear a mask. You have just as much right to wear your mask as you do the t-shirt on your body and the shoes on your feet. It is your safety, it is your life, you have a right to protect it. Do what you need to do, do what you want to do. Remember that you can always say no, you can always look out for yourself even if it makes people upset. If you are uncomfortable in social outings, say no. The no doesn't have to be " no and" or " no but" no is a complete sentence. You don't owe anyone an explanation. It is your story to tell, it is your reason to give, not theirs to demand and not theirs to take. If you feel worried or scared or anxious, take some time for yourself, do something you enjoy, turn off the news, have your favorite meal, and take a deep breath. No one would blame you for feeling worried and no one should. This is your journey, this is your life, and the pandemic is a set of uncomfortably difficult chapters in your book. But just as there have been chapters before, there will be chapters after. It can be easy to lose sight of a hopeful future given the state of the world, but hope is out there it may take some work to find it. It may take even more work to hold but it is there.
If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety or worry around the pandemic in the lifting of mask mandates. We are here to help. Our therapists here can help you cope with worry and teach you how to handle that fear. Schedule your first session with us today.