Leah K., 36, had beentrying to conceivea baby with her husband for months.
But when thecoronavirus pandemichit the United States, she was scared: What if she contracted the virus?
What would happen to her baby?
Irina Kruglova/Adobe Stock
They bickered about everything, fromcleaning responsibilitiesto life-impacting decisions.
Near the end of May, Leah and her husband broke up.
Despite how difficult quarantine had been for the couple, she never thought her marriage would end in divorce.
With very little preparation, Leah found herself single in the midst of a global pandemic.
And while anyone can be lonelyregardless of marital status or living situationsingle people face unique difficulties.
For Leah, however, staving off loneliness and moving forward with her life doesnt involve swiping yet.
For some people, biological timelines arent necessarily about having children.
Jason R., 28, says he finds himself wondering how long hell have to abstain from sexual intimacy.
Already, its been six months.
He spent most of his time inside their apartment until theBlack Lives Matter protestsbegan in May.
Kara decided to move to a new city and find an apartment with a friend.
Theres a feeling of hopelessnesslike Im missing an opportunity.
Would I have met somebody if we had been out?
Im desperately trying not to fall into the spiral of it all.
give a shot to remember this if you find yourself isolating more than usual.
Instead, take time to allow your emotions to arise.
you might tryjournaling about your thoughtsso that youre allowing yourself to recognize and process them.
Many of the people above found ways to control the aspects of their lives that they could.
Leah addressed some of her biological clock anxieties by freezing her eggs.
Jason is focusing on other forms of intimacy by leaning on friends and community.
And Kara orchestrated a relocation.
It wasnt because they all had accurate information.
Their perception gave them a sense of control over their lives.
So flexing your control muscles (in moderation) might be useful.
Positive distractions are a solid coping strategy, Slatcher says.
Physical activity has been a huge determinant of well-being in the pandemic, he explains.
Finding enjoyment and positive distractions can help youmanage the stressyou feel when thinking about the future.
Maybe youre processing these new timelines whilehomeschooling children,caretakingfor loved ones, or recovering from COVID-19.
Its okay if you need support to stay afloat.
