I am struggling with anxiety trying to fit my life around Covid-19. I know what my limitations are now I am out of lock down. It’s not just autism that’s making me feel uncomfortable.

Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory Processing Disorder is making my decision making harder. My ‘new normal’ isn’t fitting in with what was my normal. With SPD, things usually have to feel normal, before things can start to look normal.

Masking Up and Social Distancing

For me to comfortably go out of the house, everyone should still be masking, or at least keeping their distance. The Government's Covid-19 slogan, 'My mask protects you, your mask protects me' suggests full protection.

Salons Failing to Enforce the Guidelines

If hairdressers and beauty salon employees are being told to mask up, why aren’t their clients? Salons and hairdressers, although they’re following government guidelines aren’t insisting on clients' wearing masks. Common sense would suggest otherwise.

The rules they’re following from the government don’t go far enough for people who are vulnerable. They should be going the extra mile because it keeps everyone safe.

I remember hearing about a woman who worked in a gift job, who had been working there for 6 years and who absolutely loved her job, but was having to give it up because her husband was asthmatic and clients coming into the shop were refusing to mask up, so she had no choice but to leave.

'Masking up' is Piece of Mind

For what it costs to do this, it's piece of mind, and you're saving a life. Us all following Government Guidelines, means we all get to live our lives and stay safe in the process.

Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges. In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines. Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.

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4 comments on “My New Normal”

  1. Unfortunately, wearing a mask has become some kind of asinine political statement that's silly and deadly. I would have never thought people would behave this way during a pandemic. I'm sure that's the source of our anxiety, Ilana.

    Needless to say, we need our leaders to unify now and fight this virus strategically, void of politics. That means mandating masks, gloves and social distancing, before this virus envelops us.

    1. Thanks for sewing a seed Tim. Fingers crossed now it happens. It's common sense and the right thing to do and it will save lives.

      It's disgraceful it's taken this long and governments still don't agree, although there is some change in their thinking.

  2. Sadly, the new normal is dealing with people who aren't willing to do the right thing, even if it means saving their own lives, along with everyone else.

    It's ridiculous that people aren't taking the pandemic seriously, when it's mostly common sense. Why is it so difficult to do things like wear a mask and social distance?

    People should be forced to do these things by law, but when it's only just suggested, you know there are those who choose not to.

    I see it on a daily basis where we have people from out of state who should be doing a 14 day quarantine and wearing masks out there, doing everything but.

    Chances are the world won't be a safe place until there is a vaccine and even then, people will still be doing the wrong things.

    1. Thanks Randy. Yes, the world isn't safe and people are making it less safe. That needs to change. As a consequence, more lives will continue to be lost to Covid19.

      For people like me, it is getting harder to go outdoors, because as you say, masks are not being worn. Common sense would suggest we must, but until Governments clamp down, there will be more rises in Covid and more needless deaths. Why?

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