Life is at once too overwhelming and not engaging enough.
Each task I do requires a search for motivation beyond anything Ive ever known.
This needs to be acknowledged.
What Is Languishing?
The next year must show improvement, right?
One person who understands languishing acutely is Maia.
When the pandemic began, Maia slowed down, giving herself time to relax.
I feel as if Im going through the motions, says Maia.
or What is the point?
When the pandemic began, Grace felt capable of managing her preexisting generalized anxiety.
Then fall came and one of her family members was diagnosed with a condition leaving them very immunocompromised.
Soon the added distress, coupled with winters onset, took an added toll.
Grace began feeling numb and disinterested.
I didnt feel like talking to anyone.
I didnt feel like I was myself.
Im a very bubbly, energetic, happy person usually, and I felt just neutral.
While depression and languishing can present similarly, there are distinct differences between the two.
Grace
I didnt feel like talking to anyone.
I didnt feel like I was myself.
Im a very bubbly, energetic, happy person usually, and I felt just neutral.
Then theres Alex, whose anxiety disorder often presents as an aversion to germs and fear of illness.
Alex is balancing a full-time job, freelancing, graduate school, and family responsibilities.
On top of this stress, Alex has lost a close friend, grandma, aunt, and others.
Her long-term relationship also ended.
At the beginning of the pandemic, she hoped to push through any grief or anxiety experienced.
The mental effort feels like Ive been sprinting for a solid year, says Alex.
She emphasizes that she still feels privileged to have consistent work.
Giving herself proper free time to relax has helped her feel more effective when working and less overwhelmed.
Earlier in the month, I took a week off for the first time in months.
Alex
Ive been allowing myself to fully invest in the things I love doing.
As Derrick says, The brain is like a machine, and when we hit burnout, its overheating.
Time off is, unfortunately, still a luxury.
Without paid time off, the week I spent recuperating meant lost income.
As long as its not dangerous, its worth exploring.
Ive been allowing myself to fully invest in the things I love doing, says Alex.
This often comes in the form of TV and makeup.
For Maia, enjoyment comes from exploring interests outside of her computerallowing for a needed technology break.
Im not alone: Maia and Grace have both taken to going on walks to create needed space.
Partaking in a mindful walk or engaging in some form of physical activity could release endorphins and bolster mood.
This could help release endorphins and improve mood and motivation, says Magavi.
When possible, create a designated space to work separate from where you relax.
Maia credits a different area for being on with helping her manage negative emotions.
The sessions have helped her in recent weeks.
As Magavi explains,cognitive behavioral therapycan help people reframe their negative thinking while exploring healthy coping behaviors.
When necessary, this may also include taking medication.
For Alex, restarting therapy at the beginning of the pandemic was key to holding herself together.
In the past few weeks, Grace has noticed a significant improvement in her well-being.
In addition to therapy, she credits it to getting vaccinated along with her family members.
For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
Little by little, the pandemic will end and the added distress it brought will disperse with it.
Keyes CLM.The mental health continuum: from languishing to flourishing in life.J Health Soc Behav.
2002;43(2):207. doi:10.2307/3090197
