There’s no way around it: COVID-19 became a very heated political debate. While some people were happy to wear masks, others refused. Many accepted a work-remote set-up, while many fought against it. If you and your friend handled and responded to the pandemic differently, it could have polarized your relationship, says psychologist Dr. Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. “If friends differ in if they think COVID-19 is worse than the flu or not, there is already a fundamental divergence in how serious people are or aren’t taking it,” she explains. “Friends who vary so widely in their views and actions related to the pandemic/COVID-19 might have had difficulty understanding and accepting each other’s opposing perspectives.”
Without the regular routines of happy hours, workout classes, birthdays and other celebrations, it was easy to lose touch with friends during the pandemic. Unless both parties are trying to remain connected, you could have gone weeks — or months — without chatting. Even if it was unintentional, Dr. Thomas says different life stages could have pulled friends even further apart.
Some people had a baby, lost their job, went through financial hardship, experienced physical and/or emotional problems, suffered the loss of a loved one, went through a breakup or dealt with home school. “Reasons such as these can distract and weigh down a person to the point of time, and connections to others get lost,” she continues. “During the pandemic/COVID-19, many people have just been trying to cope with what is directly in their world and have lost sight of much else, including friendships.”
Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. is a top-rated Los Angeles Therapist . To read the full article “COVID-19 May Have Ended Some Friendships – And That’s Okay” visit edit.sundayriley.com.