The prolonged quarantine, initiated as a necessary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, has brought all kinds of major problems to the forefront. One that is often neglected, especially in Indian society, is that it sent mental health into a downward freefall, especially pertaining to relationships. Apart from those separated by quarantine, forced to go into a short-but-really-long distance relationship, all types of families and relationships are facing new issues that unexpectedly bubble up to the surface on a daily basis.
A big problem in monogamous live-in relationships and marriages that has been exacerbated recently is money. The lack of job security and the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring, as well as a potential of having to foot a significant medical bill. Long term financial plans that couple might have made together have basically been thrown into the dustbin. In some cases, where only one partner ends up having a paying career, introducing an inequality and financial responsibility and burden.
A major problem, especially in bigger families, has become a distinct lack of availability of personal space. In a regular household, people would keep cycling in and out as they went about their day, giving everyone ample time and space to be alone. However, in the COVID era, everyone is stuck inside a house that seems to get smaller with every passing day. It is like a bottle episode of a sitcom, everyone gets to see the worst side of everyone, causing arguments and friction aplenty.
Finally, another huge issue is the introduction of monotony, especially for younger couples. Keeping the excitement and thrill alive is a huge part of a budding relationship, and being stuck with someone for extended periods of time can cause a deficiency of the aforementioned excitement, causing people to get used to each other. One outcome could be positive, where two people become each other’s source of positivity amidst this massive globe-spanning crisis. The other, however, is less so, where the negativity from the external environment begins to seep into a relationship, causing rootless trees of strife and discord to grow without even having seeds.
There is no panacea for all these relationship problems, different things will work for different people. The key is to be aware of potential problems that may come up, communicate with your partner and figure out how you can collaborate to make things better for each other.
