IU School of Social Work – Visiting Lecturer

I am covered with my homemade mask as I watch others that are covered. It is my mission to avoid contact because it may not be safe. I am hypervigilant and avoid others because they may cause harm. It is a surreal experience to watch people avoid one another…..This is what it is like to visit the grocery store since COVID-19 happened.

I am naturally an outgoing person that loves to engage with strangers. However, life is not that way right now. This traumatic situation makes self-preservation more of a priority than hugging, shaking hands, spending time with friends, dinner parties, dancing, and girl’s night out.

At some point, many of us will try to get back to “normal” when we are told that is safe to do so. It won’t be that easy to make the transition for some people. It will likely be difficult for the emotional and thinking parts of our brains to simply go back to “normal”. This medical situation is creating collective trauma related to grief, fear, and social isolation.

As a therapist, I think about the human cost of trauma. There are millions of people who struggle with past trauma all the time. This trauma may be the result of many things including abuse, neglect, violence, poverty, or social isolation. People often struggle with historical trauma based on social constructs.  As a result, they often wear masks to protect themselves. Their protective masks take various forms including smiles, avoidance, anger, detachment, or rage. They always feel compelled to protect themselves from people because they believe others may harm them… They have been extremely hurt by others in the past.

I fully believe that the medical trauma of COVID-19 will be controlled at some point. I expect to hug, shake hands, spend time with friends, and go out dancing again at some point. I sincerely hope that everyone that has been struggling with emotional trauma (long before COVID-19) can also find ways to heal.

Angel Madison, LCSW