EVER since the start of the pandemic, I had begun measuring the limits of my everyday existence – that is, the limits beyond where I can go now.
Our subdivision in San Pedro City, Laguna is right next to a great concrete river called the South Luzon Expressway.
When the Covid-19 pandemic began last March 2020, I hadn’t been able to get past the bridge that connects our subdivision with the city proper.
Most of my going arounds were confined to buying essential goods at grocery stores in my neighborhood.
The only times I ever crossed that bridge is to withdraw my salary and buy some things that can’t be found in the neighborhood, and that’s that.
When the restrictions were lifted later last June and I was able to go back to work at our San Pedro office, I suddenly found myself reluctant to go beyond that bridge for the first time.
I felt that with the pandemic still raging, whatever lay beyond that is an entirely new, uncharted, and dangerous territory.
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I’m sure many of you may have felt that same fear of even going outside their homes during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And we’re not alone. In fact, according to mental health experts, cases of so-called “agoraphobia” are now on the rise due to the uncertainties that the pandemic brought.
The dictionary definition of agoraphobia is “fear of going outside their houses.”
However, medical experts there’s more to it than simply fearing the outdoors.
According to Mayo Clinic in the United States, agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.
“You fear an actual or anticipated situation, such as using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd,” the clinic’s website noted.
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And with the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us suddenly had that exact fear of going out in public.
Have you unconsciously tried to keep off people inside a jeepney or a bus? Have you found yourself spraying your body with alcohol all the time? Do long lines at grocery stores now trigger anxiety in you?
According to a report by Harvard University, the line between agoraphobia and “natural response” to Covid-19 is becoming increasingly blurred.
American Psychological Association (APA) reports that Americans are experiencing a nationwide mental health crisis that could have repercussions for years to come.
Their survey shows upticks in mental health issues like stress and anxiety since the pandemic began,” a report published last May at Harvard’s website said.
“However, it is unclear how this relates to agoraphobia. Because crowded spaces are potentially dangerous right now, avoiding them is a natural response, rather than a sign of a disorder.
It’s normal to have some fear of public spaces now, because the threat of danger is real.”
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Allow me to say this one thing we’ve all heard these past months: it’s okay not to be okay.
It’s okay to feel anxious about this pandemic. This is a real threat we’re facing, and our body and mind’s natural defenses are bound to kick in.
And if those feelings do reach a point of being unable to leave the house, talk to somebody who can understand and help you get over the feelings of anxiety and fear that are now rooted in us due to the pandemic.