Today is the first time since Covid that I have made an entry on the web site. I want to share my experience in what I call life during Covid. When the virus first started and the stock market made a quick adjustment I thought the virus would last just a couple of months. As a person on the spectrum I have lived most of my life with fear and anxiety. I am very routine orientated by nature.
For the first 6 months of Covid I was very anxious because the rules were changing in the world and the places I often go to like retail stores and the coffee shop. Because I could not wear the standard mask issue due to anxiety issue, glasses fogging up, and breathing my own carbon back in, I purchased a face shield that sits on my neck called Z shield which helped me meet the needs of protection and society. I found myself in conflict with the so called mask police at times, being told I was not meeting the standard to enter an establishment. I would say that I have on the Z shield due to Asbergers and anxiety issues, but most of the time there was just no understanding. Our way or leave. I would get angry at first but as this wore on I just by limiting the number of places I went to. I just did online ordering for any needs I had. I found it frustrating with the coffee shop I went to. One day I can sit inside and now for the past 6 months have to sit outside in any kind of weather. The restaurants were different. Things need to be more consistent in my area of the country. I know a lot of it was driven because of the fear of lawsuits.
I stopped watching the news to keep my anxiety down, and my mood leveled out. My volunteer work just went to zero and the places made it so hard I was discouraged.
I attend my Asberger support group on a weekly basis,12 step meeting several times a week, and various other seminars. I sometimes feel I am getting more done this way instead of driving all over town. To give me more to do I even joined several dating sites. For me, dating sites give me a chance to meet people I would normally not meet. This gave me the chance to practice some social skills with people. I was glad I was kind of isolated from meeting people to some degree in person. When I tell a person that I have Aspergers they generally lose interest. I have not been on an airplane since this started because I could not sit for hours with the mask the airlines require you to use.
Yesterday I was in my small pharmacy checking on medication instead of driving an hour away with big crowds. They said they were doing testing giving the vaccine and would I be interested in it. I said yes and felt like I had 10 Christmas gifts. I wanted to pinch myself. I have felt like I have been in a prison cell for the last year.