Summary: This heartfelt article shares the experience of someone who developed agoraphobia during the pandemic, highlighting the fear, anxiety, and isolation they felt. It touches on the impact of quarantine, social distancing, and the reopening of schools, as well as questioning the lack of mask mandates and the care from the government.

Takeaways:

🔍 Understand the impact of quarantine and isolation on mental health.

💔 Acknowledge the fear and anxiety experienced during uncertain times.

🤔 Question and reflect upon government actions and policies.

💪 Support those with disabilities and advocate for their needs.

😷 Recognize the importance of wearing masks to protect oneself and others.

🌟 Strive to create a sense of connection and community despite physical distancing.

Title: Takeaways

My Autism-informed experience developing agoraphobia during the pandemic.

My friends say the soldiers at the military base caught a virus

That nobody knows very much about.

I learned the meaning of the word

“quarantine” today,

And a new meaning to the word “isolation.”

My math teacher told us today that

She highly recommends cleaning out our lockers

And bringing everything home,

“of an abundance of caution.”

I nod absentmindedly,

Thinking instead of the party I have this weekend.

"EMERGENCY ALERT.

COVID-19 is deadly. Stop the spread now.

STAY HOME.

Ignoring public-health direction endangers lives. STAY HOME.

Protect yourself and others.

STAY HOME."

This can't be happening.

Did I hold my friends for long enough on Sunday?

Dear Instagram, I am going crazy.

Dear Minecraft, please keep me company.

Dear Hotmail, tell my best friend I miss her.

Dear Google, will a weighted blanket keep me from going crazy?

Dear Amazon, send me masks and Purell when you're able.

Dear YouTube, stop sending me advertisements for at-home workouts.

I'm lucky if I wake up with the energy to sit up in bed.

"Mom says we can have a socially distanced visit,"

But what's the point?

I can't cry into your shoulder and tell you how much I miss you.

Besides, socializing will get me sick, and I fear the air will burn me.

I want normal life back more than I've wanted anything in my life.

We can meet within six feet in small groups again.

I'm conflicted. I miss my friends so much, but I don't want to get sick.

My mom told me that socializing would feel like bitter medicine.

She was right.

I have a strong hiker's knot stuck in the pit of my stomach

That pulls on my lungs and goes everywhere with me.

I can't put it down.

The schools are opening.

I don't want to get sick. I don't want to flunk out of school.

I'll... start homeschooling? I'll invest in it.

Everything will be OK.

Everything is not OK.

If everyone's wearing masks it'll be fine,

I can do it, I think. I can go back to school.

Oh, god, no I can't. I can't do it.

One in 10 Canadians live with a disability.

One in six people who get COVID have long-term effects.

Why am I the only one wearing a mask?

Why did they get rid of the mask mandate?

Does the government care about us?

Does anybody care anymore?

I can leave the house now,

But that feeling of isolation remains.