The Post-Pandemic Identity Crisis Epidemic

We end our days looking up at the ceiling above us, and we start our days doing the same thing. It’s the same ceiling that we stare at when battling out our internal monologue, introspecting on the various regret-ridden moments of the day: the jokes we wish we didn’t crack, the comments we wish never spilled out of our mouths, and the tasks we didn’t accomplish. Within this never-ending battle, we find ourselves tumbling down the perpetual abyss of what can only be called an anxious cave. This ritual of profound and deep-rooted introspection became an epidemic of its own during the COVID-19 pandemic, infecting many of us in isolation with an identity crisis.

Two years of constant isolation, paranoia, and solitude are undoubtedly a recipe for crisis. To regard the COVID-19 pandemic as an apocalypse seems like an understatement in light of the emotional and physical turmoil endured by all 8 billion of us. A catastrophe so greatly weighted that the idea of leaving the house for anything besides the grocery store became entirely foreign. Daily routines and traveling aside, among our greatest losses is our sense of self.

Many of us tend to take the individualistic approach, believing that we are original, self-driven, and uninfluenced by the opinions of others. Yet, as humans, we are essentially engineered to use social interaction as the ‘looking glass’ into our identities. Think about the last time you were asked to tell someone about yourself… We often commence these introductions with a discussion of the communities to which we pertain, whether it is our field of work, ethnicity, nationality, interests, etc. Our sense of self is so deeply intertwined with who we are in the lives of others. Thus, when you pry off the capacity for such social interaction in its entirety, you are faced with one of the greatest losses that COVID-19 has to offer: yourself.

Adrift within the whirlwinds of newfound restrictions and fears, our lives were only as big as the four corners of our digital devices. The lockdown rid our routines of the workplace stability that we had been accustomed to, thus challenging the very identity and role of an on-site workplace. The highly flexible remote and hybrid models are growing to become today’s norm, with institutions and employees realizing the futile and dispensable nature of the long commutes and inconvenient hours. Within this tumultuous period, we lost the stability that was so intrinsic to our lifestyles; whether it’s losing a job, a family member, a relationship, etc. Getting caught up in the floods of this constant change in both our work and personal lives, it’s easy to lose sight of where and who you are… especially when our thoughts have too much time to grow and entangle themselves.

There is no doubt that the pandemic has upended our lives, shaken our routines, and challenged our beliefs and values. As we emerge from this period of isolation and uncertainty, we find ourselves questioning who we are and what truly matters to us. The pandemic forced us to confront our vulnerabilities, revealing both our collective resilience and our individual fragility. It has made us reevaluate our priorities, relationships, and goals. The post-pandemic identity crisis is a complex journey of rediscovery and self-reflection, as we strive to find meaning, purpose, and a sense of belonging in a changed world. It is an opportunity for personal growth, societal transformation, and the redefinition of our shared values and aspirations. As we navigate this uncharted territory in the wake of a post-pandemic world, let us embrace the challenges and embrace the opportunity to shape a new narrative for ourselves and our communities.