Coronavirus Mental Health/Support Thread

Not always—they don’t make them like Vinegar Joe anymore.

He over flows with sympathy for the poor and oppressed as long as they live overseas, but has no eyes for the suffering in his own country. He despises Presidents, particularly if they have some idealistic streak: Wilson he calls an “addlepated boob,” and F.D.R. “a flighty fool” or, in moments of particular venom, “rubberlegs.” :smile:

Stilwell and the American Experience In China, 1911‐45 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

1215chennault.pdf (airforcemag.com)

Just a short announcement: I’m outta here already. There are really only two explanations for what’s going on here: either everyone else is going crazy, or I am. And I have sufficient academic background and experience to guess that it’s the former.

You guys have been isolated from the real world for a year, and you may not fully understand what it looks like out there. Before I bugger off for a while, I will take the opportunity to make some predictions:

  • Cases will continue to increase, because that’s what happens when people stay at home.
  • 10-20 days from now, Taiwan will go to a level 4 lockdown.
  • Cases will continue to increase.
  • A few deaths will occur, each one being salaciously reported in the news.
  • An increasingly paranoid population will come out in favour of more and more restrictions, causing even greater harm.
  • Eventually Taiwan may secure a vaccine supply, but by then the damage will have been done. I predict confirmed COVID deaths, when the dust clears, at less than 100, with confirmed cases around 1 million.

For those who might be interested, the hallmark of a mass delusion is as follows:

  • The delusion is impervious to facts. If facts are presented that make the belief(s) untenable, the believers will either invent justifications (generally bizarre ones) for the observed facts, or will ignore them.
  • It switches off like -that-, sometimes with a trigger event, sometimes not. Over a period of a few days, the delusion evaporates and the believers act a little bemused while they attempt to reincorporate their previous delusional behaviour into their psyche. Then life goes on as normal as if nothing has happened. The delusion itself will be denied or brushed over.

See you all when they’ve finished clearing the shit off the fan.

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Suit yourself. I like you, even though I disagree with some of what you say concerning the virus. Come back when you’re ready.

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I think your confirmed Covid deaths figure of less than 100 is way too low, but every other prediction I would bet on.

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This is good. I like to try to predict what will happen simply to find out if I’m operating with accurate mental models of the situation.

I predict that clusters are found to be related for the most-part as contact-tracing is the one area that Taiwan has done better than anybody else. This will help us avoid Level 4 lockdown.

I will gladly take the under on both cases and deaths.

However, I think that we repeat this again by September when vaccination attempts again stall and that the borders remain closed at the end of the year.

I’m out of here as well for a few weeks - if I want panicked hyperbole I have Line groups.

I have had this weird feeling for a while (even before the outbreak here) that I’m destined to get COVID. I know it’s crazy, but I can’t shake it. I feel like I’m just destined to get it eventually. Does anyone else feel this way?

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No, try to stay rational.
Even in the unlikely event you do I believe you aren’t in the risk category.

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Well yes because they don’t have enough vaccines. And I don’t think they were going to fling open the borders anytime this year anyway.

That’s human nature.
However there’s nothing delusional about being seriously concerned about coronavirus risk for older people in Taiwan. There’s a lot of old people and they are often living with other family members. With the new variant we know it spreads very easily.

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Not destined, but I feel like I have it a few times. Maybe I did, it’s very possible. I’m young and healthy so it’s likely I would have had almost no symptoms.

I wouldn’t worry to much about it, you’ve been lucky in Taiwan. I’ve just learned to accept it like the rest of the world ex Taiwan. Wear a mask, wash your hands, don’t go to crowded places unnecessarily and you will be fine.

And most importantly, eat healthily and start exercising a bit. Get a good vitamin D and C supplement as well. Being healthy IMO is even better than the vaccine. Most deaths are from unhealthy people, older people, and people with underlying health issues they can’t help.

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I have respiratory issues I don’t talk about here. I have asthma, frequent bronchial infections and obstructive sleep apnea (I’m not fat, it’s just my breathing sucks). So I am worried. But I appreciate you guys talking me down a bit.

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exercise will improve your respiratory system and reduce inflammation.

I think you’ll be fine. Do what you can and take care of your general health.

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Yes I have felt this way, and lately it’s been more of just get it over with feeling. Coming to Taiwan was like an escape from reality and now it’s like we’re right back to March 2020. A never ending cycle I can’t escape.

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Thanks, I appreciate it.

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If you can, try to notice the trees, the sky, the mountains, the birds—that helps me to calm down.

Take care of yourself. This bad situation will pass.

Guy

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I feel exactly the same. My girlfriend keeps telling me that it will only be two weeks. But it was also “only 2 weeks” back at home last year and my parents tell me that they keep iterating between their equivalents of level 3 and 4 (though the vaccination rate in Chile is quite high). Fortunately, this time there is already a vaccine, not just uncertainty, so I guess we just have to wait for things getting better.
Anyway, whenever I see an old person in the street without a mask/ not wearing it properly, my hope dies a little.

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It’s bad (especially since they’re most at risk), but at least we don’t have MAGA hats here who burn masks during protests.

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Yes! I’m pretty sure it’s just out of laziness/ not taking into account that they are the most at risk, since a lot of them are smokers too. It is not direct opposition to following the rules, just some hybris and thinking that they are the exception and won’t get infected.

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At the risk of sounding ageist, there is a cultural sense of entitlement among some older people in Taiwan. They possibly believe that they are in some way immune to the virus due to their advanced years. The virus should show them respect.

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They are just lazy and stubborn and stuck in their ways. Almost all old people are like that here because they have rarely been challenged to change their thinking or their behaviour.