Vaccine Envy Is Normal, But Here's When It Can Become Dangerous
It didn't start like this. When the first picture popped up on Instagram of that person you know getting the COVID-19 vaccine, you felt elation. A certain relief that something different was coming. You were happy they were safe, and you hoped one day soon you'd know that feeling, too. Now when you see the picture, read the text, get the call that someone you know just got the vaccine, there's another feeling, too: envy. "Whenever you have a little bit of hope, and then it's dashed, you're going to either get depressed or angry or resentful," said therapist Steven Stosny. "And sometimes you're going to blame it on another person, even though it's the system that's really causing the stress." Millions of Americans have had to scramble to find vaccines. Some have spent hours obsessively refreshing websites, others have driven hundreds of miles for appointments. Rules about vaccine distribution vary by state, adding to feelings of frustration.
