#26: Quarantine Quitters and Quarantine Dreams

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After months of quarantine, Americans have been jolted into undeniable new challenges —

faced with accepting strange new realities,

or in some cases, forced into creating new ones.

Whether it’s taking drastic measures to ensure our livelihood,

or transforming our bizarre nightmares into anxiety-fighting tools,

quarantine can ultimately prepare us for life’s biggest threats to come,

and make us better at managing our own greatest fears —

one vivid new reality at a time.

Welcome to the Abstract podcast from Inverse. I’m Tanya Bustos, your host.

Our first story is about how the coronavirus pandemic provided life-long smokers with new motivation to quit the habit. As a trusted coping mechanism turns into an imminent threat, the drive to finally stop smoking during a pandemic is often met with one very difficult question: How exactly do you quit while the world is retreating into quarantine?

Our second story is about the vivid coronavirus-related dreams you’re having. Ranging from hopeful to terrifying, it turns out our weird new pandemic dreams aren't just strange – they have an upside. With research suggesting they can help prepare the brain for real-life situations, understanding what our feelings and anxieties are in quarantine can offer us a healthy new way to express these emotions in the future.

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