Listener Q&A: What If The Pandemic Has Made Me Hate People?
ALERT! A tech glitch caused an issue in the first minute of the show when it first dropped-- and the issue has now been corrected. Clearly we annoyed the audio gods somehow, but all is well now. So if you were one of the early birds who heard it first, our apologies. We appreciate your patience!
Has the pandemic changed your view of other people-- and maybe, you feel, not for the better? In today's show, Dr. Andrea tackles a question from a listener who is concerned about a shift they've seen in themselves. A combination of working from home permanently, becoming more reclusive, and not liking what they see in humanity has made them maybe.... hate people? Dr. Andrea tackles what might be going on, with some actionable advice and a good bit of hope in this episode of Baggage Check.
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Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper
Transcript
Dr. Andrea Bonior: Did you consider yourself an extrovert before the pandemic, and now you think of yourself as more introverted? Was there some other way you changed over the course of the COVID-19 disruption, which may still be going on for you in many ways? And if you add in political upheaval world news that's not so hope inducing and increased polarization, does it make you feel like maybe other humans have become, at best, an annoyance and at worst, the enemy? Today, we're taking a listener question from someone who's lost a bit of faith in people. They feel demoralized over the events of the past few years, and when combined with their working from home and just becoming more isolated, they wonder if there's a permanent change in how they see humanity. Do you feel more negatively towards others these days? Do you just find it impossible to find tolerance for the man tasting the grapes in the produce section? If you're looking to find a little more goodwill towards your fellow humans, you'll want to listen to today's Baggage Check.
Welcome. I'm Dr. Andrea Bonior and this is Baggage Check: Mental Health Talk and Advice, with new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Baggage Check is not a show about luggage or travel. Incidentally, it is also not a show about attempting to replicate the distinct and indescribable smell of a roller skating rink. Okay, let's get to it. Today we're taking a listener question from someone who feels like they're struggling with the effects of the pandemic in terms of how much it's lessened their tolerance for other people. And with seeing how people have behaved, it kind of makes them want to stay away from humankind with the “kind” part feeling like a misnomer to them altogether. So let's listen in. As always, thanks to the listener who volunteered to do the voiceover here, your questions are always welcome. And if you don't want to do a voice memo, which a lot of you seem to not want to, we'll have someone read your letter. Here it is.
Listener:
How do you deal with the demoralizing effects of what we see in other people? I seriously feel like the past couple of years have made me lose faith in humanity. Politically, culturally, I just see things so differently now—people out for themselves all the time and it makes me so pessimistic for civilization. I started working from home at the beginning of the pandemic and am opting to continue to do so, which I think has made me even less tolerant of other people. I used to even consider myself an extrovert, and now I feel like I’m pretty much a recluse—and yet I don’t really mind it. I don’t have the urge to be around others much anymore. I find them pretty taxing. I can’t be alone in this, right? I seriously feel like the pandemic has made me HATE people!
topilot being a band I saw in:Thank you for joining me today. Once again, I'm Dr. Andrea Bonior, and this has been Baggage Check, with new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Join us on Instagram at Baggage Check podcast to give your take on upcoming topics and guests. And why not tell your chatty coworker where to find us? Our original music is by Jordan Cooper, cover art by Danielle Merity and by studio security is provided by Buster the Dog. Until next time, take good care.
