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Hawaii_Jake's avatar

Have you experienced overwhelming emotions during the current public health crisis?

Asked by Hawaii_Jake (37723points) April 17th, 2020

Our state has canceled all graduation ceremonies for public high schools. Graduation is an enormously important event in Hawaii. Graduates are often covered in lei, many are homemade, and there are so many it will partially cover the recipient’s face. I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s the biggest day in the life of some people.

The news of this statewide cancelation affected me deeply, and I cried off and on all day. All the emotions from several months of bad news came out. By the evening, my eyes were exhausted. I slept very well that night.

Have you experienced overwhelming emotions during this time of a public health crisis?

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24 Answers

gondwanalon's avatar

I’m bummed out by the government ordered economic shutdown. Looks like it’s the right thing to do but at a tremendous cost. I’m doing OK financially and retired 5 years ago. My life now is about the same as before the pandemic. I play all day including long hikes and long distance outrigger canoe paddling.

A friend of mine told me that she cries al lot about this pandemic (at least every day).

Tropical_Willie's avatar

So sorry ! Mālama.

Take care of yourself; things will get better but not today or tomorrow.
This is long time to get better.

Demosthenes's avatar

Not yet, no, just various expressions of frustration. Canceling graduation really sucks though. I think about how great those last few months of my senior year were and realize that the seniors this year at my high school are missing out on graduation, the fashion show, grad night, the senior picnic, and more. Just getting to decorate my cap with the college I’d be attending was fun. I still have the photos from all those things. Sad to think that the class of 2020 won’t have those memories.

Dutchess_lll's avatar

Cancelling the end of school functions is a bummer for the kids, especially graduations.
The hardest for me, of course, is not seeing the grandkids.

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

I tired to ask this question a few days ago from my laptop. I couldn’t ask any questions. I wish they would figure out the glitch and fix it. I also tried the mobile site that day.

Today, I was able to ask this question on my tablet on the mobile site. Unfortunately, it meant I was not able to include the links to pictures and articles that would adequately explain how important high school graduation is in Hawaii.

Here is one picture that will give you an inkling. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

Now, I can’t find the very elucidating blog post about the subject.

jca2's avatar

I haven’t experienced overwhelming emotion yet, but I have cried a few times due to incidents that occurred. One was one of my friends was visiting and didn’t realize that my daughter’s cockatiel was on his shoulder when he stepped outside on the deck, and it flew away. We saw the bird in a tree but it wouldn’t come down to us. I never really took care of the bird, as it was my daughter’s pet, so she fed it and dealt with it, but I was fond of it and didn’t want to have anything tragic happen to it.

@Hawaii_Jake: I never realized there were such a variety! Beautiful.

Jons_Blond's avatar

I’ve been extremely stressed at times. Mostly when I’m working or when I shop because I see so much stupidity and carelessness.

The other day a woman came to the deli I work at and ordered fried chicken for 20 for a birthday party this weekend. I see people coughing all over my store when I’m working. As I was shopping at Walmart yesterday a woman walked over the barricade at the entry and yelled at the worker who scolded her. I felt sorry for the poor man who was just doing his job.

My youngest son has had recent lung issues so I worry I’ll bring the virus home and it could affect him in a hard way.

JLeslie's avatar

I’ll answer no, but I have been paranoid about catching C19, because I already have a respiratory illness for almost 3 months now. I just want to get better before I get sick. The fear of getting sick while my lungs are already impaired is very scary to me, and has caused some extra stress between my husband and me. As long as we don’t go to any stores or deal with any groceries it’s fine. Unfortunately, I’ve needed to go to the pharmacy multiple times, and then add in grocery store about once every ten days and getting the mail also is nerve wracking to me.

When I think about people working in the grocery stores and hospitals I get a really sad feeling and put myself in their place. It feels so unfair to me. Especially, grocery stores not providing masks or other safety measures. Finally, that is improving. I think they all should get hazard pay. If I was a praying girl I would pray for their safety and health.

I worry about the stress on my mom.

I’m not too worried about the children. I think most kids like being home with their parents. Like sleeping late. This is assuming there isn’t a work conflict and the parents can be home. I would think some schools can do a graduation later on.

LadyMarissa's avatar

I had to break down & go to the grocery store yesterday. In line in front of me was a woman with a 2 year old, an infant, & her mother. The lady & the mother/grandmother both were wearing their masks; however, neither child had on a mask & neither woman was practicing social distancing. I can understand that they were at the point of being desperate for groceries, but I couldn’t understand WHY the grandmother couldn’t keep the kids at home while mother did the grocery shopping for both of them or WHY grandmother couldn’t do the shopping for both of them while mother kept the kids at home. I was fine in the store; but when I got back to my car, I completely lost it. I feel sorry for those precious children who have idiots for their role models!!!

ucme's avatar

No, I’m not that type!
My daughter’s graduation from uni has been suspended, due this summer. She, like us, rolled with the disappointment & looked at the positives.

Everyone around the world is suffering some form of sacrifice & thousands are dying alone…perspective!

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

No. I am in my element. I have more experience in being a shut in.
However I reacted to New York’s massive unmarked graves in the news. Very disconcerting.

jca2's avatar

@LadyMarissa: Maybe the grandmother was not capable of handling the children on her own, so could not stay home alone and watch them. Maybe she also would not have been capable of doing the shopping on her own for all of them. I am giving the family the benefit of the doubt and not assuming they’re “idiots.”

KNOWITALL's avatar

Yes, I have. Crying at a sad story or movie, just feeling a little raw. Not being around friends, family upsets me. My cousin is helping nurse in NY so thats worrying, she’s very sad and making daily posts for all 21 days there.
The disruption of our lives and routines is disconcerting.

ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

That is pretty heartbreaking, sometimes I think it takes seeing how serious the impact is on others to recognize the weight of our own grief about a situation.

I am strangely calm, but a part of me feels like I am built for this type of crisis. I’ve lived most of my life bracing for impact so it’s validating when it comes. I just want to do what I can to help others move through it and perhaps there will be some kind of emotional release after the fact for me. Hard to predict as my calmness feels genuine.

I did freak out for a good week when I realized I’d be without income for several weeks (or longer), I mean a real big freak out. For some reason I’m calm about that now, too, I guess because it feels like the financial stress I’ve been carrying hasn’t changed all that much but I can do it in the safety of my home while making art and that is something I’m thankful for. Also, people have been supportive of my art during this time which is literally helping me to survive right now and so I feel a lot of gratitude mostly.

LadyMarissa's avatar

So, you’re saying that you’d drag your children out into a pandemic with NO protection & not even attempt to provide social distancing @jca2??? Tsk tsk…my list is growing!!!

ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

They don’t recommend masks for children 2 and under due to risk of suffocation.

JLeslie's avatar

@LadyMarissa You say they weren’t practicing social distancing, so the other people near them didn’t step away when this family got too close?

chyna's avatar

@jake Just looking at that picture of flowers I can almost smell their wonderful fragrance.
On a much smaller scale than you are feeling, I went to the store today for the first time in about 10 days and had a panic attack. I got it under control within a few minutes, but wanted to just go out to my car and cry. I got through it until the next time.
Hugs Jake!

deviakkineni's avatar

Yes, I do because of the loss that is happening around us.

jca2's avatar

@LadyMarissa: Did I say that?

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