I was listening to a podcast today about how people can still have a life during the pandemic. Everyone has a fundamental need for social interaction. This has been severely curtailed for the last six months, and for many people it can lead to depression or other maladies. Staying absolutely safe means staying home, no visitors and even having your groceries delivered. Experts recommend staying in a pod. That means only interacting with a small group of people, such as just those in your household and close family. Everyone in the pod should agree to follow safe behavior protocols. For the single person this is pretty much a life of isolation.
Is it appropriate to take some amount of risk? To move somewhat off the extreme measures for the benefit of your mental well-being? If I met someone at the park and we talked for a while, staying outside and distancing, would that be an acceptable risk?
Single people are struggling with the topic of sex. If you are staying within your safe "Pod," and one of the pod members happens to be your sexual partner (spouse, partner, whatever), then it's all good. But what if you don't have a sexual partner close by? Hookups and even normal dating are out. They're just not safe behaviors. The concept of a sex pod has come up. One person, who is also committed to safe behavior, who is your regular sex partner. We may not see normalcy in our lives until the beginning of 2022. Is it reasonable for single people to go without until then?
So far I'm following the safe path. Maybe I go the grocery store more often than I should, but that's the biggest risk I'm taking. I haven't met anyone. I haven't even looked at Grindr now going on four months.
I'm going back and forth with this. On the one hand I'd like to open up and at least meet some new people, and this might be an acceptable risk. On the other hand I watch the evening news and see stories about 25 year olds dying from the virus, and I'm jerked back to the other side of the spectrum.
I'm still pondering this and in the meantime staying safe.
No "meantime". Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteI just miss social interaction, travel and being able to dine out regularly. It's been 6+ Years since I had any sexual interaction. It's not fun but if I can survive this long then the "average person" will be okay through this pandemic based on the present prediction. I don't know if it's being a man, being gay or a combination of both but I have a pretty high sex drive and always have. My main goal is survival for me and my pets. We've been through the wringer and this is just another bump in the road. Granted it's more like a large dip than a bump but this year is about over and the hope is that progress is made in the coming year. Stay safe & be well!
ReplyDeleteWow....six years. Is that by choice?
DeleteNot exactly by choice, due to circumstances. I lost my husband and don't believe in casual sex.
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