I Had a Covid Breaking Point

[Camden]

All I hear about at work, at church, out and about is Covid, Covid, Covid! Every week when I go to work the policies change and become more restrictive in the face of the aggressive new Delta variant. I'm vaccinated, but I don't feel safe at all. This is mostly because my best friend who's about my same age got Covid earlier this summer despite being vaccinated. I've heard it causes permanent heart damage, so it has crossed my mind of my buddy dying of a heart attack at age 40 and leaving me to grieve for the rest of my life.
A coworker of my father was killed at age 55 by Covid earlier this summer. Both of my parents are in their 50's and it scares me that they could be killed by this disease. They are both vaccinated, but I don't believe the vaccine keeps anyone 100% safe. I seriosly fear becoming an orphan. I'm scared of that phone call that says a grandparent was admitted to ICU, or a friend has breathing trouble and a severe fever... I had a complete breakdown and practically begged my parents not to go to a football game. I was really scared of them coming in contact with unvaccinated people and the general crowded and dirty enviroment that is a football stadium. In retrospect, I feel good that I expressed my honest fear of the disease and my disapproval of them going to such an environment.
At this point, I try to not go anyplace besides my own house, my grandparents' house and my office. Those are the only three places I feel somewhat safe from Covid and mostly safe from my contamination OCD fears. The fear of Covid has made my contamination anxiety about "dirty" objects or "infected" people become exponetially worse in the past year.
Is it normal for me to fear myself or my friends and family getting killed by Covid? Is it normal for my fear of this disease to make me feel like I am becoming reclusive and avoiding anyplace that isn't one of my three "safe places?" Is it normal for my fear of covid to influence other things I am anxious about?

 

[FlipperK]

completely normal. However I would suggest to start talking about this with a therapist.

My wife is in the same boat as you. She is terrified and ultra careful about going anywhere. We are vaccinated but she still has anxiety about it.

She is at the breaking point as well, just fatigued by this whole mess. We have family and friends who have passed away because of it.

I have found peace with it with the help of my therapist. This is a such a large and complex thing that there isn’t anyway for anyone of us to be in control of it.

The best thing we can do it do our best with the information we have and move on. Make peace with yourself that you have done everything you can and you can’t control anything else.

 

[Aries]

Up to 60,000 people would die of flu every year and we never had to prove vaccination and wear masks. Every time you leave your home your chance of getting killed increases. It's not just disease. Traffic fatalities kill 40,000 people a year. Random shootings are a danger. My local city has had 12 already this year and it is a SMALL city of 40,000. But now the government and media keep pushing the COVID FEAR button over and over again so people are freaking out.

 

[JustMe]

All I hear about at work, at church, out and about is Covid, Covid, Covid! Every week when I go to work the policies change and become more restrictive in the face of the aggressive new Delta variant. I'm vaccinated, but I don't feel safe at all. This is mostly because my best friend who's about my same age got Covid earlier this summer despite being vaccinated. I've heard it causes permanent heart damage, so it has crossed my mind of my buddy dying of a heart attack at age 40 and leaving me to grieve for the rest of my life.
A coworker of my father was killed at age 55 by Covid earlier this summer. Both of my parents are in their 50's and it scares me that they could be killed by this disease. They are both vaccinated, but I don't believe the vaccine keeps anyone 100% safe. I seriosly fear becoming an orphan. I'm scared of that phone call that says a grandparent was admitted to ICU, or a friend has breathing trouble and a severe fever... I had a complete breakdown and practically begged my parents not to go to a football game. I was really scared of them coming in contact with unvaccinated people and the general crowded and dirty enviroment that is a football stadium. In retrospect, I feel good that I expressed my honest fear of the disease and my disapproval of them going to such an environment.
At this point, I try to not go anyplace besides my own house, my grandparents' house and my office. Those are the only three places I feel somewhat safe from Covid and mostly safe from my contamination OCD fears. The fear of Covid has made my contamination anxiety about "dirty" objects or "infected" people become exponetially worse in the past year.
Is it normal for me to fear myself or my friends and family getting killed by Covid? Is it normal for my fear of this disease to make me feel like I am becoming reclusive and avoiding anyplace that isn't one of my three "safe places?" Is it normal for my fear of covid to influence other things I am anxious about?

I've been feeling the same as you. I can't leave my house in peace even to go toa drive-thru McDonald's because they have the madks hanging off their face. I think everyone is possibly infected and could kill me. I'm vaccinated but do not feel safe at all. Idk what to do because my anxiety regarding germs has gotten way out of control. This whole thing has been a nightmare for me. I haven't allowed my husband to go back to work because I'm scared he will pick it up there. I opened an etsy store and that's how we are paying the bills but I'd rather be broke and homeless than dying of covid alone in the
Hospital. (Oh yeah there is no more rooms available at any hospital nearby) so I'd really be screwed and probably die in the waiting room. I'm not sure how much more I can take of this! It seems like I'm the only one completely freaked out about this. You are definitely not the only one!

 

[Lanchparty7]

I am kind of the opposite…it is the vaccine and everything associated with it that has me more worried at this point. I just feel like something isn’t right about all of this and I will leave it at that.

 

[Fraser]

Up to 60,000 people would die of flu every year and we never had to prove vaccination and wear masks. Every time you leave your home your chance of getting killed increases. It's not just disease. Traffic fatalities kill 40,000 people a year. Random shootings are a danger. My local city has had 12 already this year and it is a SMALL city of 40,000. But now the government and media keep pushing the COVID FEAR button over and over again so people are freaking out.

This is a terrible response to Covid. Covid is NOT the flu and has already killed 10 times what the flu does in the same space of time. It also kills much younger and healthier people than the flu. More than this Covid has serious long term effects in many people that experience it, even mild cases. The largest study on the effects of Covid and cognition have revealed that on average Covid damages the brain in people with severe cases more than a stroke, which means millions of people who didn't die from Covid now have neurological damage and long term cognitive effects. People who have mild cases also suffer from significant lowered cignitive faculties after recovering from the virus itself.

From the Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00324-2/fulltext

"People who had recovered from COVID-19, including those no longer reporting symptoms, exhibited significant cognitive deficits versus controls when controlling for age, gender, education level, income, racial-ethnic group, pre-existing medical disorders, tiredness, depression and anxiety. The deficits were of substantial effect size for people who had been hospitalised (N = 192), but also for non-hospitalised cases who had biological confirmation of COVID-19 infection (N = 326)."

Additionally, because of people like you spreading misinformation about the disease and its consequences, hospitals are overflowing with Covid patients and people who are seeking treatment for other conditions are literally dying due to lack of healthcare access. I hope one day we hold those who spread Covid misinformation accountable for what they've done.

All I hear about at work, at church, out and about is Covid, Covid, Covid! Every week when I go to work the policies change and become more restrictive in the face of the aggressive new Delta variant. I'm vaccinated, but I don't feel safe at all. This is mostly because my best friend who's about my same age got Covid earlier this summer despite being vaccinated. I've heard it causes permanent heart damage, so it has crossed my mind of my buddy dying of a heart attack at age 40 and leaving me to grieve for the rest of my life.
A coworker of my father was killed at age 55 by Covid earlier this summer. Both of my parents are in their 50's and it scares me that they could be killed by this disease. They are both vaccinated, but I don't believe the vaccine keeps anyone 100% safe. I seriosly fear becoming an orphan. I'm scared of that phone call that says a grandparent was admitted to ICU, or a friend has breathing trouble and a severe fever... I had a complete breakdown and practically begged my parents not to go to a football game. I was really scared of them coming in contact with unvaccinated people and the general crowded and dirty enviroment that is a football stadium. In retrospect, I feel good that I expressed my honest fear of the disease and my disapproval of them going to such an environment.
At this point, I try to not go anyplace besides my own house, my grandparents' house and my office. Those are the only three places I feel somewhat safe from Covid and mostly safe from my contamination OCD fears. The fear of Covid has made my contamination anxiety about "dirty" objects or "infected" people become exponetially worse in the past year.
Is it normal for me to fear myself or my friends and family getting killed by Covid? Is it normal for my fear of this disease to make me feel like I am becoming reclusive and avoiding anyplace that isn't one of my three "safe places?" Is it normal for my fear of covid to influence other things I am anxious about?

I would suggest two things. 1.) Follow the CDC guidelines in regard to your behaviours. Where the guidelines aren't clear, err on the side of caution. This is especially true if you are doing things like visiting your grandparents. 2.) Speak with a mental health professional regarding your anxiety and feelings of loneliness/isolation. 3.) Ignore advice from people that will tell you Covid is "like the flu" or that you should live your life as you would were Covid not present. That is dangerously ignorant and doesn't take into account the lives of people like your grandparents.

I am kind of the opposite…it is the vaccine and everything associated with it that has me more worried at this point. I just feel like something isn’t right about all of this and I will leave it at that.

Of course you will leave it at that. There's absolutely nothing substantial to back this up, so it's not like you have a choice to expand upon it. Advocating for vaccine hesitancy is reprehensible though.

 

[Doug97]

Coronavirus ‘The virus is painfully real’: vaccine hesitant people are dying – and their loved ones want the world to listen

 

[Aries]

This is a terrible response to Covid. Covid is NOT the flu and has already killed 10 times what the flu does in the same space of time. It also kills much younger and healthier people than the flu. More than this Covid has serious long term effects in many people that experience it, even mild cases. The largest study on the effects of Covid and cognition have revealed that on average Covid damages the brain in people with severe cases more than a stroke, which means millions of people who didn't die from Covid now have neurological damage and long term cognitive effects. People who have mild cases also suffer from significant lowered cignitive faculties after recovering from the virus itself.

From the Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00324-2/fulltext

"People who had recovered from COVID-19, including those no longer reporting symptoms, exhibited significant cognitive deficits versus controls when controlling for age, gender, education level, income, racial-ethnic group, pre-existing medical disorders, tiredness, depression and anxiety. The deficits were of substantial effect size for people who had been hospitalised (N = 192), but also for non-hospitalised cases who had biological confirmation of COVID-19 infection (N = 326)."

Additionally, because of people like you spreading misinformation about the disease and its consequences, hospitals are overflowing with Covid patients and people who are seeking treatment for other conditions are literally dying due to lack of healthcare access. I hope one day we hold those who spread Covid misinformation accountable for what they've done.



I would suggest two things. 1.) Follow the CDC guidelines in regard to your behaviours. Where the guidelines aren't clear, err on the side of caution. This is especially true if you are doing things like visiting your grandparents. 2.) Speak with a mental health professional regarding your anxiety and feelings of loneliness/isolation. 3.) Ignore advice from people that will tell you Covid is "like the flu" or that you should live your life as you would were Covid not present. That is dangerously ignorant and doesn't take into account the lives of people like your grandparents.


Of course you will leave it at that. There's absolutely nothing substantial to back this up, so it's not like you have a choice to expand upon it. Advocating for vaccine hesitancy is reprehensible though.

CDC: The COVID-19 pandemic caused approximately 375,000 deaths in the United States during 2020.

A bad flu year killed 100,000 a couple of times in the US. That makes covid 4 times more deadly than flu. Bad but not world ending.

American Academy of Pediatrics:
At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is uncommon among children.

Flu kills over 100 children every year but it doesn't get blasted all over the media and we are not forced to mask and get flu vaccines.

CDC today reported one new seasonal flu-related death in a child that occurred during the 2019-2020 season, bringing the total number of flu deaths in children reported to CDC for last season to 188. This matches the highest recorded number for pediatric flu deaths reported during a regular flu season, which occurred during the 2017-2018 flu season.

This source says "For COVID-19, 349 kids have died in the last 18 months, which is when the pandemic began. "

VERIFY: COVID-19 has caused more pediatric deaths than the flu in the last 18 months

CDC data shows COVID-19 and the flu make up less than 1% of all pediatric deaths since the start of the pandemic.

www.khou.com

That's 233 per year, only 24% more than flu. Considering that it is a brand new virus that's not too bad. Covid is mostly killing old people and overweight people.

 

[Fraser]

CDC: The COVID-19 pandemic caused approximately 375,000 deaths in the United States during 2020.

A bad flu year killed 100,000 a couple of times in the US. That makes covid 4 times more deadly than flu. Bad but not world ending.

American Academy of Pediatrics:
At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is uncommon among children.

Flu kills over 100 children every year but it doesn't get blasted all over the media and we are not forced to mask and get flu vaccines.

This source says "For COVID-19, 349 kids have died in the last 18 months, which is when the pandemic began. "

VERIFY: COVID-19 has caused more pediatric deaths than the flu in the last 18 months

CDC data shows COVID-19 and the flu make up less than 1% of all pediatric deaths since the start of the pandemic.

www.khou.com

That's 233 per year, only 24% more than flu. Considering that it is a brand new virus that's not too bad. Covid is mostly killing old people and overweight people.

The flu, on average, kills about 34,000 people per year not 100,000, making Covid ten times deadly in 2020. Picking an outlier year is cherry picking data, but that's hardly a surprising move from a Covid denier/downplayer. The last time the flu killed 100,000 people you have to go back more than half a century to 1967, but again, I'm not all surprised that you're willing to make this reach and pretend like that's comparable.

By "young people" I'm referring to people under 65, not children. And, of course, your post completely avoids addressing the fact that even people that survive Covid are wracked with long term effects from the disease at alarming rates, which is much, much less likely from the flu. Your view on this subject is dangerous, irresponsible, and deeply ignorant. But sure, get back to telling a person who visits their grandparents on a regular basis to treat this like the flu, that seems like a cool thing to do.

 

[Phillies Phan]

Since March 2020, 1 of every 500 people in the US have DIED from COVID. Let that sink in. Add in the longhaulers with long term neurological, heart or other issues as well as the suffering of those who otherwise got through it, and it’s mind boggling. I try to stay calm when faced by deniers, and those who “want my regular life back” but the absolute ignorance from these people angers me so.

Yes, as Fraser says, when the hospitals get full of unvaccinated fools, that leaves less resources for, well let’s see..people who have suffered a stroke, a heart attack, need hip replacement surgery so they can have a life worth living, same with back surgeries, and too many to name procedures that are deemed “elective”, since not having the surgery won’t kill you...but it will greatly affect your quality of life and perhaps lead to severe mental illness (we all know how that feels, huh??) and in some, suicide.

But no, COVID is like the flu. No biggie. A big farce made up by the elite left. Created by Biden and Pelosi. If you truly believe this, that is incredibly sad and as selfish as hell. For you deniers, especially those with health anxiety and other mental illnesses lIke we have, I hope none of you actually do get ill and need a surgeon, a rush scan or the like. Same with your loved ones. May they not have to suffer because of deniers.

In Ontario, effective next Wednesday, you need to show you’ve had your 2 shots or no indoor dining for you. No casino trips either. No Blue Jay games..nope, watch em on TV. That’s the only way to get at least some of that 20-25% who will not vax. Oh, that’s unfair! It’s my body! My medical rights are mine, not the government. Really? So sorry. You have to have your kids vaxed for many diseases or they cant attend school. Won’t wear shoes? Even Walmart won’t let you shop. There are rules for the obvious things in life since there are those 20% or so who just. Don’t. Get. It.

 

[Aries]

In 1957 116,000 died from flu. That's when only 170 million people lived in the US. So it's the equivalent of 225,000 deaths. Covid is new to people so it's more deadly like the Russian flu of 1889. That virus only gives people the common cold now. If you are young and healthy your chance of dying from covid is about the same as you dying from flu. For children NPR even says it's the same.

Children's Risk Of Serious Illness From COVID-19 Is As Low As It Is For The Flu

Though the odds are comparable, many parents worry more about the less familiar disease. New mask guidelines have heightened anxiety. Experts explain the actual versus perceived risks of severe COVID.

www.npr.org

More perspective - 480,000 people die in the US every year from tobacco use.

 

[Phillies Phan]

In 1957 116,000 died from flu. That's when only 170 million people lived in the US. So it's the equivalent of 225,000 deaths. Covid is new to people so it's more deadly like the Russian flu of 1889. That virus only gives people the common cold now. If you are young and healthy your chance of dying from covid is about the same as you dying from flu. For children NPR even says it's the same.

Children's Risk Of Serious Illness From COVID-19 Is As Low As It Is For The Flu

Though the odds are comparable, many parents worry more about the less familiar disease. New mask guidelines have heightened anxiety. Experts explain the actual versus perceived risks of severe COVID.

www.npr.org

More perspective - 480,000 people die in the US every year from tobacco use.

ICUs getting inundated by the unvaccinated. Report today in Ontario. Of those with COVID in ICUs 93% were unvaccinated. These are the people that will cause the treatment delays I spoke of above. No argument can be made against that. None. Hospitals in many red states (Idaho for example) inundated and non-Covid patients being delayed treatment or turned away.

 

[Fraser]

In 1957 116,000 died from flu. That's when only 170 million people lived in the US. So it's the equivalent of 225,000 deaths. Covid is new to people so it's more deadly like the Russian flu of 1889. That virus only gives people the common cold now. If you are young and healthy your chance of dying from covid is about the same as you dying from flu. For children NPR even says it's the same.

Children's Risk Of Serious Illness From COVID-19 Is As Low As It Is For The Flu

Though the odds are comparable, many parents worry more about the less familiar disease. New mask guidelines have heightened anxiety. Experts explain the actual versus perceived risks of severe COVID.

www.npr.org

Woooooow. Wow. First of all, that was over half a century ago. That's how far back you're reaching to make the flu comparison. With modern medicine, again, the flu kills on average 34,000 a year. And again, Covid kills about 10 times that. Yeah, in a few years, it won't kill as many people. And? If you are under the age of 65, no your chances of dying from Covid are not the same as dying from the flu, they are much higher. And your chances of getting long term effects that affect your cognition are much, much higher. I love how you keep skipping past that point and focusing only on deaths versus a bad flu year from over half a century ago and trying to focus on mortality rates among children. It's like you know your argument has zero merit and just can't quit admit it to yourself.

Coming into this thread and telling someone that they should go on with their life as usual when they are visiting their parents and grandparents is disgusting.

More perspective - 480,000 people die in the US every year from tobacco use.

And?

"Hey guys, we shouldn't think Covid is a big deal because the Spanish flu happened in 1918 and people also die from other bad things."

 

[Aries]

Coming into this thread and telling someone that they should go on with their life as usual when they are visiting their parents and grandparents is disgusting.

Calm down buddy. I'm just saying that this ain't something like smallpox. It's not so bad that the government should be taking away people's freedom. People should be able to assess their risk and go about their live's if that's what they want.

ICUs getting inundated by the unvaccinated. Report today in Ontario. Of those with COVID in ICUs 93% were unvaccinated. These are the people that will cause the treatment delays I spoke of above. No argument can be made against that. None. Hospitals in many red states (Idaho for example) inundated and non-Covid patients being delayed treatment or turned away.

I've been turned away for treatment even in non pandemic times. I remember in 2015 I came down with a terrible stomach bug and I ended up in the ER getting 2 bags of fluids. Then a week later it came back on me and when I went back to the ER LOTS of people were there with it and after 2 hours with no treatment I felt well enough to go home. This is something that happened ALL THE TIME even before covid, but now the media is acting like it's something new.

 

[Phillies Phan]

Calm down buddy. I'm just saying that this ain't something like smallpox. It's not so bad that the government should be taking away people's freedom. People should be able to assess their risk and go about their live's if that's what they want.

I've been turned away for treatment even in non pandemic times. I remember in 2015 I came down with a terrible stomach bug and I ended up in the ER getting 2 bags of fluids. Then a week later it came back on me and when I went back to the ER LOTS of people were there with it and after 2 hours with no treatment I felt well enough to go home. This is something that happened ALL THE TIME even before covid, but now the media is acting like it's something new.

Holy crap. Are you really that, well I won’t say it. Comparing a temporary rash of a stomach bug to a worldwide pandemic that’s killed millions upon millions of people is well, I will be gentle and say ignorant.

 

[Aries]

Holy crap. Are you really that, well I won’t say it. Comparing a temporary rash of a stomach bug to a worldwide pandemic that’s killed millions upon millions of people is well, I will be gentle and say ignorant.

Do you think people live forever?

 

[AriaRen]

Do you think people live forever?

Hopefully not, buddy.

 

[Fraser]

Do you think people live forever?

Eat sh*t.

Calm down buddy. I'm just saying that this ain't something like smallpox. It's not so bad that the government should be taking away people's freedom. People should be able to assess their risk and go about their live's if that's what they want.

If it was your life I'd encourage you to walk in traffic. the dice you are rolling is for other people's lives as well, and you're just too stupid and reckless to understand that, so you have to be forced. Pathetic that it has to be like that, but that's where we are now.

I've been turned away for treatment even in non pandemic times. I remember in 2015 I came down with a terrible stomach bug and I ended up in the ER getting 2 bags of fluids. Then a week later it came back on me and when I went back to the ER LOTS of people were there with it and after 2 hours with no treatment I felt well enough to go home. This is something that happened ALL THE TIME even before covid, but now the media is acting like it's something new.

Going 2 hours in the ER is not the same as the ER being at capacity, the hospital having no beds and people not being able to get treatments for their cancer or stroke as a result. It's called triage. Holy god, sometimes I forget how breathtakingly stupid people are. Thank you for the reminder.

 

[ThankfulJen]

The hostility in this thread is gross. Seriously. This is not how to get your point across nor is it how we should treat others, regardless of what you might take offense to.

 

[Phillies Phan]

The hostility in this thread is gross. Seriously. This is not how to get your point across nor is it how we should treat others, regardless of what you might take offense to.

Sorry Jen, I just don’t tolerate fools very well. If it’s ignorance, that’s fine. We all are ignorant of things and hopefully we are willing to be educated. That’s why I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. It’s just that attitudes like his are what’s fueling the continued proliferation of this pandemic, continuing to cause untold misery, and stopping ALL of us from getting back to the life and the world we all remember.

Do you think I want to have to show “my papers” to an 18 year old kid so I can sit down and eat a pizza? Absolutely not. Pisses me off. But it’s because of the deniers/the ignorant that I’m forced to do so and will be for the forceable future. More importantly, as someone with bad HA, I seriously worry that if my worst fears are realized and I or a loved one need serious medical care, it will be delayed or worse.

”Your” rights end when it affects my health, well being and life.