Now, if I say, "The flu and mental health," what's the first thing that pop into your mind? Chicken soup recipes or tips on how to avoid germ-infested lifts? That’s often how we think about it, isn’t it? But believe it or not, these two seemingly unrelated elements share a tangible connection. Living in Seаttle – where, I assure you, every other person is a coffee drinking coder, writer, or an adventurer – I’ve noted that missing work or staying tucked at home due to flu can pack a punch on our mental health. It's true, being ill isn’t exactly a walk in the park or a sunny jog around Lake Union, but its impact on our mental health, and specifically the strain it places on our mental health professionals, deserves attention.
The flu, for those who may have been living under a rock (which may not be the worst thing considering the circumstances), is a viral infection that largely attacks your nose, throat and the lungs. Sounds gruesome, huh? It is an underestimated ninja, attacking swiftly, causing a range of symptoms from mild discomfort to severe complications. If not handled appropriately, the persistent fevers, aches and fatigue that it brings could smoothly transition to more complex health issues. We are all likely aware of this. But how often do we think about how this impacts our mental wellbeing?
Here is where it gets tricky, and I believe interesting. The flu changes the chemistry of our bodies, toying around with our hormones and neurotransmitters - basically giving the tuning forks of our body a jolt. The result? This can substantially affect our moods, focus, and mental energy. This is no big surprise for those of us who have languished in bed, drained like a deflated soccer ball post a World Cup finale, courtesy of the flu. Mental fatigue and mood changes that tag along with the physical symptoms of the flu wave can create a daunting effect on our emotional well-being. It can even trigger an episode of anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions in susceptible individuals!
The flu doesn't only invade our system and mess around; it can wreak havoc on the mental health professionals as well. After all, they are the ones right in the thick of it. They find themselves juggling their routine caseload with a barrage of affected individuals, often presented with heightened mental health conditions. On top of that, they also run the risk of contracting the infection themselves. Nothing screams 'stress' more than being caught amidst a flu outbreak, am I right?
If you think we've discussed all the curveballs the flu has to offer, you're in for a surprise. There is indeed a Silver Linings Playbook-like twist in this tale. Prolonged mental health conditions may make one more susceptible to the flu. Yes, you read that right – being in a state of constant stress or anxiety may reduce your immune system’s ability to fight back influenza viruses. A scientific 'Catch-22', if there was ever such a thing.
Now on to the part where I hopefully lift your spirits (or at least give it a good nudge). Just like we take preventative measures against the flu, the same steps can strengthen our mind and mental resilience. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, sound sleep, stress management (may I suggest jazz or perhaps go old-school with some Beethoven?), and maintaining healthy relationships can act as a buffer against the mental health implications of the flu. Yes, reaching out to that friend you've been meaning to call, could prove beneficial in more ways than one!
The flu and mental health, much like a well-written screenplay, share a symbiotic relationship, impacting one another more than we generally consider. Being aware of it can help us view our mental health in a broader context, nudging us subtly to integrate our physical and mental health. It's a journey, and I might have made it sound like climbing Mt. Rainier, but hold on, let's not forget, I am going to be right here in lovely Seattle, bringing some humor, a few quirky metaphors (and hopefully relatable ones), and a heck of a lot of resilience-boosting encouragement to you.
19 Comments
Naga Raju August 2, 2023
This hit home so hard 😔 I've had the flu twice this year and felt like my brain was stuck in molasses. Not just tired-like my thoughts were drowning. Mental health pros? They're superheroes without capes. 🙏
Dan Gut August 3, 2023
The premise is statistically unsound. Influenza has no direct neurochemical pathway to induce clinical depression. The correlation cited is confounded by socioeconomic variables and seasonal affective disorder. Peer-reviewed literature does not support this conflation.
Jordan Corry August 3, 2023
STOP UNDERESTIMATING THIS. 🚨 The flu doesn't just knock you out-it erodes your soul. I've seen therapists burn out after a winter surge. They're giving everything while their own immune systems are screaming for help. You think self-care is a hashtag? It's survival. Get up. Move. Breathe. You're not broken-you're human.
Mohamed Aseem August 4, 2023
This is just fearmongering dressed as empathy. People get sick. They rest. They recover. Stop turning every sniffle into a mental health crisis. The real problem? People who think they need therapy just because they're bored or tired.
Steve Dugas August 5, 2023
The article conflates correlation with causation. No controlled longitudinal study demonstrates influenza as a primary trigger for psychiatric episodes. Furthermore, the cited NCBI links are observational. You're indulging in pseudoscience wrapped in Seattle hipster prose
Paul Avratin August 6, 2023
In the context of Western biomedical paradigms, the somatic-psychological interface is often reduced to neurotransmitter kinetics. But in collectivist frameworks-say, in parts of India or Southeast Asia-the body is perceived as a vessel of energetic imbalance. The flu, then, isn't merely viral-it's a disruption of qi, prana, or spirit. The article misses this cultural epistemology entirely.
Brandi Busse August 7, 2023
I mean like why is everyone acting like the flu is some kind of existential threat I had it last year and I just cried in my pajamas for three days and then ate nachos and now I'm fine so maybe stop making everything a trauma narrative
Colter Hettich August 8, 2023
The phenomenology of bodily illness, when refracted through the hermeneutic lens of modernity, reveals an ontological rupture: the self becomes alienated from its own corporeal autonomy. The influenza virus, then, is not merely a biological agent-it is an existential interloper, disrupting the Cartesian coherence of mind-body dualism. One wonders whether the mental health professional, in treating this rupture, becomes both physician and patient.
Prem Mukundan August 9, 2023
Let's be real. Burnout isn't from the flu. It's from underpaid, overworked therapists dealing with 20 clients a day and zero support. The flu just exposes the cracks. Systemic failure > virus. Fix the system, not just the symptoms.
Leilani Johnston August 10, 2023
I'm a therapist and I got the flu last month. It wasn't just the fever-it was the guilt. Like, how do I help people when I can't even get out of bed? I cried in my robe eating soup and then called my own therapist. Don't be ashamed to need help. Even the helpers need helpers.
Jensen Leong August 12, 2023
I appreciate the sentiment, but I'd encourage a more evidence-based approach. While anecdotal reports are compelling, we must anchor our discourse in longitudinal data. The CDC's 2022 surveillance report indicates minimal psychiatric comorbidity elevation during seasonal flu outbreaks. Mindfulness and rest remain vital, but let's not overstate.
Kelly McDonald August 13, 2023
You know what’s wild? The flu doesn’t care if you’re a therapist, a coder, a mom, or a barista. It just shows up. But here’s the magic-when we start talking about it, when we say ‘I’m not okay,’ even just to a friend-that’s the first dose of medicine. You’re not alone. I’ve been there. We’re all just trying to breathe through the fog.
Joe Gates August 13, 2023
I used to think the flu was just a bad cold until I had it during my first year of grad school. I couldn't focus on readings, my thoughts spiraled, I canceled three sessions with my clients. I didn't realize how much mental energy goes into just showing up-until I couldn't anymore. That’s when I started taking my own advice: rest is not laziness, it’s medicine.
Tejas Manohar August 13, 2023
The integrity of clinical practice requires that we distinguish between transient physiological distress and enduring psychiatric pathology. To conflate the two risks pathologizing normal human vulnerability. Evidence-based protocols must guide our discourse, not emotive narrative.
Mohd Haroon August 15, 2023
The flu is a biological event. Mental health is a structural one. Blaming the virus for systemic failures in healthcare labor is a distraction. The real issue is underfunding, understaffing, and the commodification of care. Fix the system, not the symptom.
harvey karlin August 15, 2023
Flu = immune system on fire. Mental health = brain on overload. When both collide? Total system crash. No magic fix. Just rest. Sleep. Hydrate. Repeat. And for the love of god, stop pushing through.
Anil Bhadshah August 16, 2023
I work in a clinic in Delhi. We had a flu wave last winter. Nurses, counselors, even the receptionist got sick. We had to cancel sessions. But here's the thing-patients came back and said, 'We saw you were gone. We knew you were human too.' That meant more than any therapy session. You're not just helping them-you're showing them it's okay to be broken sometimes. 🙏
Trupti B August 17, 2023
i just got the flu again and i cried for 2 hours because i couldnt even text my friend back and then i ate ice cream and watched netflix and now im fine so maybe stop making this into a big deal
lili riduan August 19, 2023
I'm a therapist and I got the flu last month. I missed two sessions. I felt guilty. But then one of my clients sent me a voice note: 'I'm glad you're resting. I needed to see that it's okay for you to take care of yourself too.' That's the real magic. Healing isn't just what we do-it's what we model. We're not machines. We're people. And people need to rest. 💛