As dumb and trivial as this sounds, this pandemic has really put me through it with my mental health. Pre-pandemic (late 2019) I left a six year, 4,000 mile, long distance relationship, one that made me feel very empty emotionally and physically, and I had started spending time with someone who I had been friends with but never pursued because he lived about an hour and a half away. I got about 3 months of feeling like I was in a normal relationship before the pandemic started. I kept visiting a few times before it got really bad, but I haven’t seen him in person since August and it’s absolutely killing me. There’s been some health issues and the risk of getting sick is too much to ignore at the moment, otherwise I would’ve 100% quarantined together.

On top of that.. I got both furloughed and then subsequently let go from my job, and I haven’t been able to find work since September.

My brother went away to college last summer, so it’s just me and my parents, and I just feel very alone because they’re both essential workers and gone most of the day.

All my living grandparents have been having health issues and I can’t even see them.

I acknowledge a lot of people have it A LOT worse than me, but the looming loneliness mixed with the severe anxiety and depression I already deal with.. it’s a lot for one person to handle. I really just want a hug.