You have heard the rules from Zombieland: Don’t go into a room without an exit, never use real names, and so on. Such instructions are necessary for survival when navigating a zombie apocalypse.
When the global pandemic hit in March, we all had many questions about what would come next. Those of us who grew up watching zombie movies with the roaming, mindless corpses desperately searching for a human meal probably all had a moment when we thought we would have to enact our Zombie Apocalypse Plans, use our survival strategies, and rely on the old canned goods in our pantry for sustenance. As the weeks drug on, however, some of us may have been left with a little teenage heart disappointment that we would not get to run around like Woody Harrelson in search of the last remaining Twinkie. There were no zombies, no speeding cars, no double tap, and no search for twinkies. Instead, we were left with endless days of isolation, the chaos of moving work and school to the kitchen table, and the boredom of no nights out in restaurants packed with laughter and sound.
But before you breathe a sigh of relief that we avoided a Zombie Apocalypse, wait a moment. The zombies portrayed on the Hollywood screen may not be out and about, but there are indeed zombies afoot. Think about the definition of a zombie: mindless, roaming souls, that are walking shells of the person they once were when they were fully alive. When COVID-19 came in and changed so much in our lives, it left many of us stressed about dealing with more than we could have imagined, and now, many of us are feeling the effects of emotional exhaustion. While the pandemic has not become the zombie apocalypses depicted in the movies, it has turned us into zombies. In our exhaustion, we have become distracted, numb, and left to search for social sustenance in our hunger for human connection. And unfortunately, there is not enough sleep, Netflix, or time on the couch that will get rid of this exhaustion. Furthermore, if emotional exhaustion goes on unchecked for an extended period of time, it could lead to long term psychological suffering. We are not dead, but we are not fully alive or actively living. Undead.
If you have ever seen a zombie movie, however, you know the good news that there is always a cure or antidote for the affliction. Fortunately, there is for our emotional exhaustion too, and we don’t have to team up with odd strangers or hide in sewers to find it. (Now I get to go back to my teenage dream of being like the badass Mila Jovovich and sharing the cure).
The anecdote to the zombie condition consists of self compassion, rest, and kindness to others. It is important for us to check in with ourselves, and to truly listen without judgement to what it is that we are needing so that we may respond compassionately and appropriately to that need. We must also make intentional space for activities that recharge us and feel energizing and life-giving. Showing kindness, moreover, encourages others to connect in the same kind way. Kindness is reciprocal, and it can spread like a zombie virus.
So I’ll leave you with this question: what can you start doing or doing again to help bring you back to life?
Happy (weirdest) Halloween ever!
About the Author:
Lisa Kjeseth (she/her), MA, LPC, ACS holds a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Colorado Christian University. She excels at working with clients who are struggling with suicidal ideation and self harm as it relates to past trauma or difficult life experiences, believing that they are in a unique position to see the personal transformation that occurs during Post Traumatic Growth. Lisa believes that finding and channeling resilience is key to long term health and wellness. Lisa loves to explore Colorado’s beautiful landscape through camping, hiking, and photography with her young family.