Languishing:  The psychological scar of the pandemic 


Languishing: 

The psychological scar of the pandemic 

If a phrase could describe the mood of 2021, that would sound like this: “I feel more stuck than ever. There are so many important things happening around me, but I feel like I can’t have access to them. I feel like I’m afraid and there is no real excitement about anything. I feel like I have to seek for motivation for every little thing I have to do. I’m tired and exhausted but at the same I wanna keep trying.”   This is how most of the people feel during and even after quarantine.  

What exactly is languishing? 

Experts say that languishing is a state of apathy, indifference and a sense of internal inconvenience and corcern. We would describe it as a general lack of interest in life and the things that used to bring you joy. But languishing is not a mental illness;  it’s more like a series of emotions. It feels like an internal void and like being stuck in one place, unable to move.  Languishing has been known to exist for several years. But it seems like it has a strong comeback in people’s mental health,  as a quarantine effect. Basically, it’s the repetition of the same routine day after day. In fact, lots of people still experience languishing,  even with the vaccination process taking place , as the future is yet not certain for anyone. People feel like there is still a lot of waiting and that nothing is over.  

What are the symptoms 

  • You’ve lost your concentration 
  • You feel like you function in auto-pilot 
  • You’re not enjoying life as you used to 
  • You’re experiencing mental and physical fatigue 
  • You feel like you don’t give your 100% 

How to deal with it 

Pause for a while 

Stop your activities for a while and find some time for yourself so that you can reset. When you return to your activities, you’ll feel renewed and fully fueled to work on your stuff more efficiently. 

Do things you like 

What do you enjoy doing the most? Watching movies and series, reading, painting or singing? Whatever that is, do it and watch your mood change for the better.  

Step out of your house 

Simple things like a walk in the park or changing your workplace can give you a whole new perspective.  

Ask for help

If you already suffer from mental health issues, it would be a good idea to visit a mental health specialist to help you deal with languishing.   Seminars Recent Articles