Is COVID killing your will?

[Last Alternative]

Is COVID killing your energy & dreams? I can say living in an apartment the last 1.5 years alone has almost destroyed my ambition when I get going and the neighbor is banging my wall over low volume kick/bass. Yeah I know the vibrations carry and I got some good headphones but it’s bad for your eardrums to always use headphones

So even when I get hyped to produce, the fear of Killjoy next door often stops me from going for it. Then there’s all the anxiety I’ve had with stress & struggling to breathe right & weird chest pains so bad I went to the ER 3x this year... so now I’m on benzos just to feel normal and on top of that feeling like a caged animal since nothing fun to do is open. All we’re allowed to do is work & shop.

I started running and getting out into nature which helps. I eat clean (usually) but man life is starting to feel pointless & hopeless & I’m getting the feeling that was the plan for us all along. Can you relate?

[Aosta]

I think everyone is feeling it and it all revolves around uncertainty. Uncertainty is a powerful catalyst for anxiety and stress and you can feel it all around, people are wound up like springs, snappy, irritated and on top of that covid is just a part of the rest of shit that is going down in the modern world.
Personally I just try and be philosophical about the whole situation and think back in history when the human race was heading toward the shitter especially the last world war. Much worse situation and people came together, survived and even some incredible heartwarming expressions of the human spirit emerged.
The person next door isn't a killjoy and is probably feeling as bad as you.
Take a step back, take a deep breath, clear your mind and find an alternative way to let out your inner music with some compassion, write a song for your neighbor? Post it on a CD or something with a note?
It might calm you both down

[QVprod]

Working on headphones is fine. It’s really only bad if you have them too loud. You just have to be extra mindful of it since it’s easy to have things loud. Some room treatment might help as well to minimize how much bass is traveling through the wall. https://soundproofinglab.com/bass-trave ... ugh-walls/

Overall it sounds like you really need an outlet. Be it music, hiking, or even video games or something.

[Loque]

Your neighbour is not directly related to Covid, but ofc he might be more often at home at the moment. YOu have only one chance, get a studio...in your own house...loudness isolated...or get neighbores aprtying with you while you make music....

Going into the natur is always a good idea, as long as there IS a nature...

Staying home all the time is bad. You get sick in the brain. Go out, meet or make friends, get your tent, sleep a night in the wood, visit another city, whatever...

Creativity comes with new impulses to your brain...Go and get some.

[DaveyG]

Yes. It's killing my will.
And my soul.

[Aosta]

Going into the natur is always a good idea, as long as there IS a nature...

There was a study I read years ago (don't ask me where) that correlated shape and pattern recognition with emotions in humans and the fact that linear and angled shapes we find in our homes and cities (also monitors, tv and phones) have a profound effect on our general emotional well being so yes getting out into nature and back to our origins is great for the mind and emotional balance.

[Loque]

Going into the natur is always a good idea, as long as there IS a nature...

There was a study I read years ago (don't ask me where) that correlated shape and pattern recognition with emotions in humans and the fact that linear and angled shapes we find in our homes and cities (also monitors, tv and phones) have a profound effect on our general emotional well being so yes getting out into nature and back to our origins is great for the mind and emotional balance.

Interesting...i heard about studies, that the smell, air and look of trees let us feel well and makes us wealthy. If i came into the wood, it always feels like coming home...

[moneykube]

living in a small town for 25 years as an introvert... covid although worrisome has barely touched my day to day activities... although I do see even less people then I did... the list was already quite short... living in Canada... spring , summer, and fall... I get to see and be in nature... love it... winters, not so much... that will be the time it affects me more imo

[Loque]

living in a small town for 25 years as an introvert... covid although worrisome has barely touched my day to day activities... although I do see even less people then I did... the list was already quite short... living in Canada... spring , summer, and fall... I get to see and be in nature... love it... winters, not so much... that will be the time it affects me more imo

Love the winter. We had the last snow here 20 years ago. Since global warming we do not have snow anymore Its so beautiful! Only that its darker and the days are shorter makes me a bit sad...but damn! Snow on the trees in the morning sun! Nothing can beat this!

[Last Alternative]

Friends is another factor I forgot. Pretty sad huh? We’re forgetting about our friends. Sometimes I call them and it sux I never hear from them or see them all year now but then I’m doing it to them too. COVID is making us antisocial and paranoid to hang out I guess. They keep calling this the “new norm” like they would have us think killing the economy and our souls is trendy!

Not to mention my mom is in a home. I haven’t seen her more than 10 minutes since COVID started. She’s locked in with the elderly which I understand but it’s so hard on my family to be separated like this after losing my dad recently.

I’m soooo lucky to still have a job. Not going out is saving my money so I’m focus on my debts. Tryna buy a house next year. I got a brand new car. Life is good compared to many who lost their job or business or can’t afford car repairs or are facing eviction soon with nowhere to go. In my sadness I pray for joy to overcome. Not having music freedom rn is making me feel destroyed tho. I’m jus drifting thru life rn.

[PhillipOrdonez]

living in a small town for 25 years as an introvert... covid although worrisome has barely touched my day to day activities... although I do see even less people then I did... the list was already quite short... living in Canada... spring , summer, and fall... I get to see and be in nature... love it... winters, not so much... that will be the time it affects me more imo

There isn't bad weather, only bad clothing. Gear up, go outside during winter! And take vitamin d to keep depression at bay.

[plaamook]

Going into the natur is always a good idea, as long as there IS a nature...

There was a study I read years ago (don't ask me where) that correlated shape and pattern recognition with emotions in humans and the fact that linear and angled shapes we find in our homes and cities (also monitors, tv and phones) have a profound effect on our general emotional well being so yes getting out into nature and back to our origins is great for the mind and emotional balance.

Yeah I read that one too. New Scientist or some such.
It was related to the randomness of nature as I recall.

[Aosta]

Yeah I read that one too. New Scientist or some such.
It was related to the randomness of nature as I recall.

Yeah it was that sort of thing, complexity and brain stimulation...thinking about it I wonder if the same could be applied to sound?
The sounds of nature can be pleasing, stimulating and even relaxing whereas a city is usually just a noisy cacophony of loud flat drones from traffic and machinery, it's a very monotone place.

[Last Alternative]

I have to agree with the nature science/studies and moreover common sense, or at least, the undeniable notion that being in touch and in tune with nature is the most vitalizing and spiritual closeness to existence or higher power (however you interpret the meaning of life - or force of nature) as we are a part of a whole. I mean it’s only human nature to feel a peace in the wild because our primal instinct never left us; it resides in our cerebellum which we share with all mammals.. but the design of society has made sure to disconnect us from anything truly meaningful - our natural heritage, spirit, and connection to the earth - via the training since birth into endless insatiable consumerism as obedient corporate slaves.. I guess so yeah. When you go outside to the barren landscape and find your zen, listen close - you can still hear the echoes of a silent cosmic voice beyond the void telling you this is what life truly is. Not the rich pulling our strings to do their will - shut up, pay your bills & obey the machine, glued to the boob tube until you die. There’s more to life than life.

[Aosta]

I have to agree with the nature science/studies and moreover common sense, or at least, the undeniable notion that being in touch and in tune with nature is the most vitalizing and spiritual closeness to existence or higher power (however you interpret the meaning of life - or force of nature) as we are a part of a whole. I mean it’s only human nature to feel a peace in the wild because our primal instinct never left us; it resides in our cerebellum which we share with all mammals.. but the design of society has made sure to disconnect us from anything truly meaningful - our natural heritage, spirit, and connection to the earth - via the training since birth into endless insatiable consumerism as obedient corporate slaves.. I guess so yeah. When you go outside to the barren landscape and find your zen, listen close - you can still hear the echoes of a silent cosmic voice beyond the void telling you this is what life truly is. Not the rich pulling our strings to do their will - shut up, pay your bills & obey the machine, glued to the boob tube until you die. There’s more to life than life.

I've been a huge fan of a guy called Joseph Campbell for years and your post reminded me of a segment from his interview series called The Power of Myth, we have a strong spiritual connection with our earth and the native Americans knew it so well.....

[plaamook]

Yeah I read that one too. New Scientist or some such.
It was related to the randomness of nature as I recall.

Yeah it was that sort of thing, complexity and brain stimulation...thinking about it I wonder if the same could be applied to sound?
The sounds of nature can be pleasing, stimulating and even relaxing whereas a city is usually just a noisy cacophony of loud flat drones from traffic and machinery, it's a very monotone place.

If I think of it in relation to sound I’d say the sonic equiv to a square house is 4/4 techno where as a city soundscape is structurally still random even if it’s noises are industrial.

The other aspect to it all is patterns. We find it satisfying to identify a pattern and see it unfold. Music is satisfying for people when we have a sense of it’s direction but perhaps it’s least satisfying when the pattern breaks.
So random is relaxing. Patterns are satisfying. Broken patterning creates stress?
Dunno.

[Aosta]

[

If I think of it in relation to sound I’d say the sonic equiv to a square house is 4/4 techno where as a city soundscape is structurally still random even if it’s noises are industrial.

The other aspect to it all is patterns. We find it satisfying to identify a pattern and see it unfold. Music is satisfying for people when we have a sense of it’s direction but perhaps it’s least satisfying when the pattern breaks.
So random is relaxing. Patterns are satisfying. Broken patterning creates stress?
Dunno.

Interesting,
Maybe with music it tricks our minds to search for patterns to latch onto to try and understand the structure but then we have things like fills at the end of bars and breakdowns to throw our brain out of sync and 'yearn' for that structure back again and when it returns it is satisfying.
Really is such a complex subject which leads to things like sound therapy, emotional manipulation, frequencies and all sorts of other strange things.

[PhutureD]

Is COVID killing your energy & dreams? I can say living in an apartment the last 1.5 years alone has almost destroyed my ambition when I get going and the neighbor is banging my wall over low volume kick/bass. Yeah I know the vibrations carry and I got some good headphones but it’s bad for your eardrums to always use headphones

So even when I get hyped to produce, the fear of Killjoy next door often stops me from going for it. Then there’s all the anxiety I’ve had with stress & struggling to breathe right & weird chest pains so bad I went to the ER 3x this year... so now I’m on benzos just to feel normal and on top of that feeling like a caged animal since nothing fun to do is open. All we’re allowed to do is work & shop.

I started running and getting out into nature which helps. I eat clean (usually) but man life is starting to feel pointless & hopeless & I’m getting the feeling that was the plan for us all along. Can you relate?

Not so much Covid as the lockdowns is. Its the lockdowns that is killing everyone. We had to sell our business, for no profit due to complicated factors. Then just when i was about to get into the swing of working again, after starting a brand new job, our president announced a 21 day lockdown. Itsnow almost 200days later and more than 2million jobs lost and counting. Been unemployed since Nov last year. In the meantime , Been trying to finish up on much as my unfinished tracks as possible now, which i think i have and beginning to start brand new projects as soon as i can catch up on the mounting debt. But otherwise its all good, I think that these types of situations calls for a person to dig really deep in order to get creative and productive. Its been tough but we will pull through. Just hang in there.

[Boombastix]

My sanctuary has been to ride my bike in the NorCal mountains, but when the fires hit we couldn't even go outside for about 2 weeks. Started to feel like some tipping point was getting closer, but then we got a few days of relief and I was able to ride again a couple of times.

Studies has shown a bunch of effects by just being in nature, lower stress hormones, lower blood pressure etc. Then the mental side benefits too.
Reading up on and exercising mindfulness is a good thing too, can help with the stress and anxiety from the garbage we are going through this year.

I'm pretty annoyed how incompetent/ignorant the health organizations are about Covid. Already in March some studies started to come out showing the benefits of Vit-D. An interesting one around summer time, showed that hospitalized people having low Vit D had a death rate of 99%, whereas those with >normal vit D had a death rate of 4%. Further studies has been provided showing there is a cut off around 30ng/dL of Vit D. If above you are at very low risk, below it, you are at high risk.
Personally I started my Vit D in Feb with a goal of staying around 50-70ng/dL. (add Vit A and Vit E for synergy). In spring it was discovered how Vit D protects, has to do with the ACE2 cell receptor. But Vit D also suppresses the inflammatory storm and histamin like storm, both can wreak havoc if getting out of control, this was learned from a couple of studies this fall.

Vit D costs around $5 bucks, and that will cover you for 3 mo. This Covid crisis could have been done and over by June if the authorities used this science, but I'm still rolling my eyes daily to this incompetency, and they do not even talk about still. It is the biggest health scandal in decades, surpasses even Vioxx and the 40 000 people that drug killed. Covid is basically a vitamin D deficiency problem. Though, those that are >70 or seriously sick / immunocompromised would probably still be vulnerable, but everyone else in society could be back to normal behavior since July if this science was acted upon by WHO/politicians/health agencies. But no, let's deny the existence of this research (no money to be made from cheap vit D...?).

As for mixing/listening in headphones - I never liked it for long sessions. But after getting Abbey Road Studio 3 it changed. It creates a "room" so the brain feels like you are listening in a room on monitors, thus avoiding the strict L/R separation. It is currently $50 and has never been below that, and always excluded from their coupons. At least so far...

[Young J]

Despite humans tragedy I wasnt personally touched by ( didnt encountered no one covided yet) ,
The covid situation is like a blast ,
Like this is Sparta

[moneykube]

living in a small town for 25 years as an introvert... covid although worrisome has barely touched my day to day activities... although I do see even less people then I did... the list was already quite short... living in Canada... spring , summer, and fall... I get to see and be in nature... love it... winters, not so much... that will be the time it affects me more imo

There isn't bad weather, only bad clothing. Gear up, go outside during winter! And take vitamin d to keep depression at bay.

although winters are less severe last few years... we do hit -40 and lower (especially with wind chill) . that is brrrrr cold no matter what I wear... lol... especially as I get older.... when I was younger, it was less of an issue ... but still cold. Hell I layer my clothing even in the summer these days

Love the winter. We had the last snow here 20 years ago. Since global warming we do not have snow anymore Its so beautiful! Only that its darker and the days are shorter makes me a bit sad...but damn! Snow on the trees in the morning sun! Nothing can beat this!

... wow ... 20 years... where are you located? I do enjoy the frost on the trees though

[MrFigg]

There isn't bad weather, only bad clothing. Gear up, go outside during winter! And take vitamin d to keep depression at bay.

Man have those Norwegians done a number on you hahahahaha
New Scandinavians unite

[Loque]

Love the winter. We had the last snow here 20 years ago. Since global warming we do not have snow anymore Its so beautiful! Only that its darker and the days are shorter makes me a bit sad...but damn! Snow on the trees in the morning sun! Nothing can beat this!

... wow ... 20 years... where are you located? I do enjoy the frost on the trees though

Center of Europa. Currently its like the south of Europa 20 years ago. The "warm Zone" has moved up around 1000km. While we had winters with easily -10 to -20 °C back than, now we rarely come below 0°C. We had easily 2-4 months of nice and white snow, and now we have a few weeks of rain, maybe with some snowy rain - thats all.

Back than, 20+ years ago, i thought about the nice and warm future, having sun all the year. Now i see our woods dying, dry earth, now snow and its so hot in the summer you cannot get out.

[PhillipOrdonez]

There isn't bad weather, only bad clothing. Gear up, go outside during winter! And take vitamin d to keep depression at bay.

Man have those Norwegians done a number on you hahahahaha
New Scandinavians unite

[bxbrkrz]

If you want to have a bit of (dark) fun about the virus, watch a show called Utopia on Amazon Prime. Then watch CNN, then compare the two realities.
It will reset your will for good. Forever.