Coping With Cabin Fever
Tags: Self-awareness, Life Lessons, Mental Health, Life, Productivity

We’re all on the inside looking out. Image courtesy of Joshua Rawson-Harris via Unsplash

I’ve had a lot of freedom in my life. I’ve traveled wherever my heart has desired near or far. I’ve gotten in car and just driven until everything I’ve known is but a distant dot in my rear view mirror. I’ve (literally and unfortunately) gotten lost in a Costa Rican rainforest. I’ve slept under the stars, in a dumpster (for science!), in a yurt, and even on a boat. I’m the Dr. Seuss of adventure.

I’m a free spirit, meant to roam this Earth.

When the pandemic started I knew it would be tough. I knew the brakes on all travel, even to the grocery store, would be severely limited. I wanted to, and still want to, do my part by practicing social distancing.

I am staying six-feet and more from everyone and most things I know and care about. Last week as I sat in my home office dressed in a bathing suit, a top knot bun, yoga pants, and body glitter, I realized — I may be experiencing a bit of the ol’ cabin fever.

“Cabin fever is a distressing claustrophobic irritability or restlessness experienced when a person is stuck at an isolated location or confined quarters for an extended period of time.” — Wikipedia

Distressed? Check. Irritable? Double check. Restlessness? Oh, yeah! Cabin fever is a state of mind. It’s a stranger than fiction combination of anxiety, boredom, edgy, irascibility that is sometimes hard to define, but you can feel it in every fiber of your being. Some of us are very social creatures and we work, think, act, and enjoy life better when we have contact with other people. If you are prone to intense bouts of anxiety, depression, or loneliness, the current state of things can turn a comical case of cabin fever into a serious saddlebag of negative consequences.

Cue the stress and welcome the effects that accompany this such as:

Feelings of hopelessness

Increase self doubt

Decrease self worth

Excess weight gain or loss

Inflammation (i.e. body aches and pains)

Weakened immune system

Fatigue and sleeping difficulties

Inability to focus or brain fog

…and much more

I’m not even getting into the domino effect that stress from loneliness and isolation can cause putting you at greater risk for more serious medical and emotional problems. In a time where sadly almost 9% — that’s 44 million — Americans have no health insurance. Plus an additional 38 million have what is described as ‘inadequate’ health insurance, you might not have the luxury of calling your therapist, scheduling extra sessions with your life coach, or reaching out to your primary physician to talk about medication options. You may feel like you appear to be doing ‘okay’ on the outside but aren’t feeling so great on the inside.

Stir-crazy like a baker’s mixer

The isolation and social distancing will hit us all differently, mind, body, and soul — but you can beat the blues before they beat you. I’ve found the following assorted ways have aided me in avoiding feeling like the walls are closing in (because they aren’t, I promise).

You are still adjusting to this new way of life

It’s important to maintain or build a comfortable level of social connections with the world and people around you. This goes doubly if you are living with mental or physical health issues. When you lack meaningful attachments, things can start to look and feel more bleak than they actually are.

Whatever you’re feeling may be in passing or may be lingering for months with no improvement. However, few simple lifestyle changes can combat cabin fever head on and while none of the above will completely eradicate your feelings of fatigue, loneliness, or social claustrophobia, it can help get you started in the right direction.