Is the pandemic a trauma?

PLUS: How to have fun — even when you're down [View this email online]( [NPR Health]( April 10, 2022 [Suzette Lohmeyer image]( by [Suzette Lohmeyer]( Happy Sunday, Health fam! On this date in 1872, America held its first Arbor Day.🌱🌳🌲 Nebraskans celebrated by planting more than 1 million [trees](. This year, it's on April 29, so you have a couple weeks to brush up your tree planting skills. This week, we look at whether the [pandemic can be classified as a trauma](. Plus, why some people seem [immune to COVID]( and [how to have fun]( even when life's got you down. --------------------------------------------------------------- People are processing the pandemic like a trauma [pandemic trauma image]( Kim Ryu for NPR For most people, living throught the pandemic hasn't been violent or included explosions or assault — all elements of a traumatic experience. So why are so many people processing the past two years as a trauma? Experts talk about the symptoms people are experiencing and why the pandemic's effect on mental health is [so hard to categorize](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Magic COVID immunity? [Rosy COVID image]( Michaeleen Doucleff/NPR The first time Michaeleen Doucleff's six-year-old daughter, Rosy, was exposed to the coronavirus, she panicked. It was November 2020, before vaccines were available. Doucleff, an NPR science reporter, quarantined with her family at home and waited. But Rosy didn't get it — even after being exposed three more times. That prompted Doucleff to dig deep into why some people seem immune to the coronavirus. [Here's what she found](. [PLUS: What to do if you test positive for COVID at this point in the pandemic](. The connection between human and animal emotions [animal emotions image]( Fran Laurendeau/RooM RF/Getty Images This editor often has conversations with her dogs about feelings. They go something like this: "You look sad today. Are you sad? Me too, because it's raining too hard to go for a walk." And while some of you may think I am bananas for talking to my dog about feelings, it's not far-fetched to think that [animals and humans]( share some of the same emotional roots, says one biologist. Here's how understanding those connections can actually help humans. [PLUS: Being a veterinarian is tough. The pandemic made it tougher](. Before you go [how to have fun image]( Ana Galvañ for NPR - Life Kit: How to have real fun — even when [life's got you down](. - The human brain starts with a bang and [ends with a whimper](. - U.S. life expectancy falls for [2nd year in a row](. - The bad kind of Kinder surprise: [salmonella](. - For the first time, researchers find [microplastics deep in the lungs]( of living people. We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of [NPR's health journalism]( on Shots and follow us on Twitter at [@NPRHealth](. All best, Suzette Lohmeyer and your Shots editors --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [shots@npr.org](mailto:shots@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]