Cabin Fever
I got out of the house a bit yesterday to get the big kids to school and then out again pick them up early due to the snow. I also ran a few errands for the football party last night. And then, around 3pm or so, the roads started getting kinda icy. And school was canceled today. And I have officially been stuck in this house for less than 24 hours – yet I still feel like I’m already losing my mind.
I am a homebody in terms of socializing, I don’t like to leave my house or my family. I just enjoy the company of my kids in my living room and that’s about it. I have social anxiety that keeps me at home most evenings, or in the comfort of the home of family. I just don’t get out much to socialize. But when it comes to errands and such? I love to get out of the house. I try to schedule errands throughout the day to keep me from going stir crazy in my home. We go to the recycling center, to Goodwill, to the car wash. We go to Target, or Publix, or Wal-Mart. We pick up milk or drop off old beer bottles. Anything and everything I can think of to give me periodic breaks away from the house. So…today? After almost 24 hours stuck in my house? I’m suddenly losing my mind.
Many people (my husband included) think of this as a wonderful thing. Not needing to leave the house for long periods of time. But me? I think because I do most of the chores in the house, I often consider this like my office. NOT a place I want to be non-stop for 24 hours. I work here. Even when I play here a mess is being made that I’m responsible for. So I have to spread out excuses to leave during the day or by the time evening rolls around? I’m punching faces I’m so stressed out. Tonight is going to be one of those nights if I don’t get an opportunity to sneak out at some point without risky death on the roads. SEND ME A HOVERCRAFT. STAT!
What about you? Do you look at 24 hours stuck in your home as a blessing or a curse? Obviously we all have our cabin fever limits, no one wants to be stuck at home all week. But can you at least make it a day without wanting to jump off your roof? Because obviously – I can’t.
I don’t think 24 hours is my limit anyway. I’m what you’d call a homebody anyway, but when I’m FORCED to be in the house, I start to lose it a little. Especially if we don’t have any movies or snacks on hand.
I am exactly like you. I always take Henry on my errands too; I think it’s good for him to get out of the house as well. I really think the stimulation helps him sleep better. If you think about it, to a baby, the long shelves of STUFF at grocery stores, Target, etc. are pretty visually stunning!
Being stuck indoors is tough for me, too. I don’t get to be home often during the day at all so to me, a day when I could be out running errands, etc. but cannot b/c of snow can be frustrating. The last time it snowed a lot here (just last month- 22 inches! – I did okay once we braved the roads for a Starbucks. I suppose I am just a busy body and cannot deal with a “trapped” feeling! Hope the thaw is fast and Spring comes soon!
I am a total homebody in every sense of the word. Last week I went three days without leaving the house (except to bundle up the kids to play outside). This was NO PROBLEM for me. I think the fact that I have a 10 month old and 3 year old to bring along with me keeps me from going on many errands, especially in all this snow (in MN). It’s too hard to coordinate with naps, and getting things done around the house. When I go out to get something done I want to do it all in one trip – SuperTarget once a week gets me all my groceries, toiletries, etc. But hey, that’s just me.
I’m EXACTLY like you. I can’t be home every day, because I need to leave the house to ‘run errands’ to feel human. Or I get really irritable.
But being social? Could go weeks without actually hanging with people outside my family.
I work part-time during the week so I do get out of the house almost daily. On the weekends I tend to stay home if I can. Last week I parked my truck on Thursday afternoon and didn’t drive it again until Monday morning! It was great
When I was a SAHM I did get out almost daily just to break up the monotony.
I think the difference being when I CAN stay home for 24 hours and when I HAVE TO stay home for 24 hours. If it isn’t forced, I am okay with being around the house, but if someone tells me not to go out, that is when the need to escape starts growing pretty quickly.
Oh, I didn’t realize you had Teh Social Anxiety! I think of you as being outgoing and social, which is partly the curly hair and partly the big smile and partly the same thing people assume about me because they know me in writing rather than in person.
I’m the same: I’m a homebody, but I like to be able to get out to do errands.
Cabin fever stinks.
And I’m so sorry, but I live in MN, too, and I just have to give you the teensiest bit of grief over the “snow.”
You can pay me back in August when I’m all “it’s 89 and SO HOT!”
I guess it depends on my mood and whether anyone else is in the house. When I just need to decompress, I can totally handle lengthy stays indoors. But if anyone else is home, that’s another story.
I’m home ALL. WEEK. LONG. by myself with the kids. We only have 1 car and my husband needs that for work. So by the time the weekend rolls around, I’m practically bouncing off the walls. My husband doesn’t understand it, he thinks it’s great that I don’t have to go anywhere. Um yeah, sure, if by ‘great’ you mean ready to stab someone.
Schools were canceled for THAT? Wow. I’d heard rumors that you people in the south cancel school with just the tiniest bit of snow, but I’d never believed them! Here it has to be an ice storm in order for school to get canceled!
I can go a few days inside the house without stressing out too much. Maybe it’s because we have nothing around here to get excited about going to for errands! No Starbucks, no Walmart, no Target, nothing.
I have moments where I do not want to be at home at all since I’m there all the time. But then there are days where I don’t want to leave for nothing and refused to change out of my pajamas so that I won’t get tempted to leave. But the kids get cabin fever easily and so we usually head to a friend’s house for playtime.
OH MY GOSH – 24 hours is heavenly! Right now I have a roaring fire in the fireplace, my sweats on, the TV on, and am ebaying! I am putting off going out as long as I can! Oh and I have a snuggly on!!!
I go batty. One of the reasons I don’t think I would make a good SAHM. I get stuck inside for more that 24 hours, you better watch out!
How about this for awful. My husband and I lost our car this past October and since then I have left the house less then 10 times. Prior to last week I had not left the house in over a month. It BLOWS.
yeah i get stir-crazy. especially because I do not care for housework or my own paperwork so much.
Until recently I used to work at home for over a year or so. Although I am quite a social person I found the longer I worked at home the quieter and more withdrawn I became. Sometimes after martahon a freelance job where I didn’t leave the house for several days, leaving the house became a big issue. I’d check and re-check the locks, oven etc before going out (I have anxiety just not social
I always made a list of stuff to do so I’d stay on track and feel like I was acheving something ( gotta achieve something every day). I think its important to get out of the house and see other people. I think the gym and also my teaching days really helped otherwise I’d become crazy cat lady. The radio and people like you in side my computer have always kept me company. Thank you. Recently in the UK we’ve experienced a lot of snow which is causing difficulties and many peopel are hosue bound. Ilve discovered a new found extra respect for Candians and Other countrys who experience a long term snow season. Fun fora few days pain in the neck after several weeks. Looking forward to seeing the sun.
Please excuse my spelling. My Mac with its handy inbuilt spell check in the shop and I’m back using a Windows machine. Windows 7 is purdy tho.