Note: What follows is a letter written by Sheradon to her son Jason and his partner Jennifer on December 9th, 2020
We feel there’s some worthwhile considerations for this time period— Moki
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Jason and Jennifer,
Hope you both are doing alright. Moki always reads me your texts so I know about Jennifer. We are seeing a lot of folks with agoraphobia. I have a bit as well and so does Moki. The theme that all say is that they are worse at night and panic if they think they have to go out after dark. It’s coming from the isolation people are feeling from being confined for such a long time because of the pandemic. They are saying it’s going to be lockdown for most of 2021 as well.
People that are generally psychologically balanced and doing fine are all of a sudden given an unseen enemy that could kill them. Every person they pass might be the one that leads to their death or death of a loved one. After dark it becomes even scarier. If you watch or listen to the news talking about all the people that have no jobs, can’t pay for their homes, can’t feed their families that find themselves stealing or looting. That’s four more unseen enemies that lead to the biggest enemy of all–loss of personal job and having the money disappear! This is the second greatest enemy of the pandemic and its isolation for those that still have jobs as well as the ones that have lost everything.
The political situation and all of its conspiracies is a nightmare. It creates an uneasy, unstable subconscious fear and anxiety about the world we live in. Suggestions would be–One, get away from the news, recommend no more than 10 minutes a day to scan headlines, then decrease to 15 minutes 2 times a week. Reading so much news in any form ties you to everyone else’s fears, anxiety and panic. Use a timer! Switch to science news or something that feeds the mind instead of feeding the fear. The ego is trying to find something or someone to blame for your isolation and imprisonment. When was the last time you read something in the news that was uplifting?
Two, prolong isolation causes weight gain and loss of muscle as well as pain. The brain doesn’t get oxygen and nutrients it needs to help you feel better. Every body needs movement. Don’t sit for hours on end set a timer so that you stand up and move. To start with, at least 10 minutes every hour and increase it as you can. Use a timer! You can walk around the home if you have stairs go up and down.
Three, you need fresh air from outside and a chance to be with living, growing things that aren’t aware of the pandemic, so they have no fear or enemies. Experts will tell you that any home has 80 times more air pollution than the LA freeway during rush hour. At first if you can’t bring yourself to go outside, sit by an open window and breathe. You will actually need to eventually go outside. Even if you only get out the front door and walk to the curb and back. Back yards usually don’t have many people this time of year. Go during the daylight not dusk or dark.
Four, you have to realize that there are safe ways to go out after dark. Are people putting lights up in your area? Are you decorating this year? Start off with something simple like driving around the block or backing out of the driveway. With the windows up and heater on it should alleviate some of the anxiety. Don’t go shopping day or night, stay away from crowds of any size. You have to learn first to trust your personal world again, and then the world we live on. Which will only occur if you stay away from news.
These suggestions should help with the agoraphobia and definitely will help the mental and physical stay a lot healthier.
Moki and I talk all the time about how much we miss you guys.
We love you both,
Mom and Moki
thank you so much for this valued info,