7 non-medical symptoms of the pandemic

As COVID numbers spread across our country and world, we are faced with the reality of this pandemic everywhere we turn. Regardless of what we do to limit our exposure to this virus the reality is that we all have been affected by the Pandemic. Here are seven non-medical symptoms that this whole pandemic might be getting the best of you regardless if you have had COVID or not.

FEAR: An easily justifiable symptom as no one wants to be sick. But fear moves the pendulum from being cautious and wise to an extreme. Fear moves us from being emotionally controlled to being controlled by emotion. Everything we hear, read and listen to is filtered through a lense of fear. Fear must be fed, so we seek out only that which feeds our fears, and fear’s appetite just grows. The challenge is to be wise without giving into fear. One way out of this trap is talking to people we trust about how we are feeling and then listening to what they say. Really listen. If we find ourselves disagreeing with everyone who doesn’t feed our fears, we might be a victim of fear.

SELFISHNESS: It is very important to take care of ourselves and our loved ones in a pandemic, yet selfishness can become an all too easily justifiable excuse to not love others. An example to consider is when the oxygen masks fall in an airplane. We are instructed to always put our own mask on first, then assist those around us. Amidst this pandemic, we must take care of ourselves and family, but then look out for neighbors, friends, and those less fortunate.

TRIBALISM: One unfortunate reality of this pandemic is how polarized and politicized it has become. Masks or no masks, vaccine or no vaccine, etc. The emotions run so deep on all these issues. Tribalism can cause us to break relationships with anyone who disagrees or even thinks differently. If a relationship has been broken or a friendship ended because we didn’t agree on some topic, let’s begin to rebuild and restore that relationship. This pandemic cannot have that relationship.

ISOLATION: This is a sneaky and slow symptom. As the months go by we can find ourselves withdrawing more and more. It is much easier to stay home and hunker down. Where once we used to serve and volunteer, now we just keep the schedule as basic as possible. What will creep up on us is the reality that we have isolated ourselves and will find that we are lonely. The reason this is so dangerous is that often we believe the answer to loneliness is just more isolation. A dangerous cycle. It doesn’t make sense but that is why isolation is a sneaky, slow, and a dangerous symptom of this pandemic. Reach out to someone right now. Text, call, or email someone and just say “Let’s Talk!”

EXPERIENTIAL TRUTH: This is when we only believe the things we have experienced. This can be a narrow-minded reality. It’s frustrating when truth seems to change on a weekly basis, so cynicism of the facts understandably grows. Not to be fooled, we protect ourselves by only looking at our experience for truth and do not consider there may be a larger picture. The pandemic is so much bigger than just one, two, or even three experiences. While our experience is truthful, it just might not be the entire truth. Let’s broaden our perspective by striving to understand others’ experiences.

PANDEMIC EXPERT: It is amazing how many internet sleuths, cable news watchers, and headline readers have become experts in understanding all things “Pandemic”. If you have all the answers of what is going on, you just might have the pandemic expert symptom. Nobody knows everything, not even the licensed experts. If we say the simple phrase “I don’t know” more often we will sound a lot wiser and worth listening to.

SPIRITUAL APATHY: This happens when we allow our spiritual relationship with God to go on hold and we pause our spiritual disciplines. We are pulled in so many directions that demand our attention that what is most important gets left unattended. Spiritual apathy creates greater issues than a virus ever could. Spiritual apathy will take hope and joy out of life, marriage, children, relationships and leave you empty and depressed. When our answers to spiritual disciplines are “After the pandemic” or “When this is all over” we are on a dangerous path that will cause more pain and hurt than any virus ever could. Take a moment and reconnect with God who loves and desires a daily relationship with you.

—Kevin Geer is the lead pastor at Canvas Church in Kalispell.