It’s a warm, crisp fall day. The sun illuminates red, orange and yellow as its rays seep through the leaves. People walk around in masks on their way to work or while grabbing a coffee with a friend. Students are starting or finishing their online classes on Zoom. It’s late October 2020 and this is the new normal. But as you start your day, you don’t see what the rest of world sees. Instead, it’s a dull, gloomy day as gray clouds hover over buildings casting shadows. Streets are deserted and everything is slow, as if time doesn’t exist. You search for the motivation to open up your computer to log into Zoom. When class is finally finished, you look around not knowing what to do or what you can do with the rest of the day. Your usual motivation to do things is replaced with feelings of confusion, uncertainty, loss and emptiness.

We think that because our fast-paced world has adapted quickly to this pandemic, people are back working, students are back at school, stores are open, that everything is normal, but in reality, nothing is normal at all. We’re still in the middle of a pandemic and these new upsetting feelings, thoughts and emotions that have risen from this pandemic are completely okay and normal to have.

This pandemic is nothing like anyone has seen or experienced and it has impacted people’s mental health greatly. In the Yale Medicine article, “Taking Your ‘Mental Health’ Temperature During COVID-19,” psychiatrist Ariadna Forray, MD wrote, “As a country, we lived through this after 9/11. But, the COVID-19 pandemic presents an ongoing disruption to our everyday lives that has significant implications to our psychological well-being. It also puts additional stress on preexisting social tensions along economic, cultural and political lines.” The article builds on this point, noting that “While most people will not develop psychiatric disorders as a result of the stressors related to the pandemic, it is natural for some to experience symptoms such as sleeplessness, anxiety, depressed mood and feeling overwhelmed”. Now, more than ever, is it important to pay attention to our mental health and self-care.

This new toll on mental health is more common than one thinks and it is happening to many around the nation. The U.S. Census Bureau published data in May that revealed that one-third of the American population reported “showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression.” Even if you’re someone who hasn’t experienced high-risk situations, like those who are first responders or those who have survived COVID-19, it’s crucial to acknowledge these feelings and tell yourself that it is okay to feel the way you’re feeling. This pandemic has interrupted our lives in every aspect, from the economic and social climate to our daily routines. The Mayo Clinic staff wrote “You might not realize it, but you don’t only feel attachments to other people. You also probably feel powerful attachments to your work and certain places and things. The experience of losing these attachments, however, isn’t as well-defined as some losses. And unexpected endings can cause strong emotions. This can make it hard to deal with what’s happened and move forward.” This interruption in our lives has had major psychological impacts, causing people to lose a sense of safety, predictability, control, freedom and security.

Grief is a normal response to loss during or after a disaster or other traumatic events, but it is vital to understand and be aware of these feelings and focus on your mental health in response. In an article published by The Lancet, “The Intersection of COVID-19 and Mental Health,” the importance of focusing on mental health and its cruciality to society is discussed. Neglecting it could lead to more negative consequences, because “During a pandemic … [mental health] can affect how we respond and recover. Health care workers are essential to the COVID-19 response but may have to leave the workforce if their mental health is not protected. Mental ill health may also affect uptake of a vaccine and adherence to [non-pharmaceutical interventions], with some evidence suggesting that poor mental health could increase susceptibility to infection and transmission of the virus.” Neglecting our mental health, especially during these times, can actually make this pandemic worse down the line because humans wouldn’t be at their best to fight off infections, diseases or the virus itself. This was proven in a study of people in confinement with or without mental illness in institutions, and it was discovered that confinement increased their risk of infection in long-term care facilities and prisons. This emphasizes the importance and effects of mental health on society and reiterates the necessity of taking a step back and taking care of yourself.

Taking a step back and caring for yourself can look like many things. One of the most important ways is practicing mindfulness and paying attention to your feelings. Life moves very fast, and we get caught up in our lives and don’t take enough time to take a break and ask ourselves how we’re feeling — which is major during a pandemic. Writing down our thoughts or finding outlets, like exercising, for our feelings is key too. Multiple articles and studies have proven that exercising improves mental health greatly by boosting our moods and helping to alleviate long-term depression.

These are difficult, weird, confusing times — even though it may seem that the world and people around you are back to normal — everyone is in the same boat as you. The lack of motivation, the feelings of uncertainty, loss, confusion, stress, emptiness or sadness are completely normal. It’s important to recognize that and take care of yourself, to know that you are not alone and accept that it is okay to feel whatever you’re feeling. Even if all you do that day is get out of bed, you are doing your best.

Willa Scolari is a junior majoring in psychology.