Lasting effects of the pandemic: Social Anxiety

It has been four years since the pandemic. So, you might be thinking, why am I still reading about it. True, the virus has subsided, but it has left an impact on how we socialize. Worse, has led many struggling with social anxiety to feel that their concerns were justified all along. Gatherings or conversations that were uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing were suddenly eliminated. Many of us became accustomed to working from home. Zoom meetings have reduced the need to meet with people in person. Everyday human interactions with grocery store clerks or neighbors have often been replaced by Amazon and Instacart. You might not remember the last time you went out to a restaurant.

Social events have always challenged me. Wondering what I would wear to what I would say would haunt me for days. The social isolation due to the pandemic eroded the social skills I had worked on and enhanced my feelings of anxiety. Like many, I still want to connect but am definitely out of practice.

For a lot of my clients, this feeling of loneliness paved way for other mental health issues such as depression.The combination of anxiety and depression is common among my clients. It seems that when depression lifts, anxiety flares up; when we struggle with anxiety long enough, we lapse into depression. My clients wonder, “Will I ever get better?” The answer is YES! It is certainly not an easy journey to recovery, but pausing to really pay attention to yourself is a start.

We seem to go through life from one day to another, almost on autopilot. But as an antidote to sleepwalking through our lives, attending and setting intentions for our own experience of aliveness and wellbeing can help. That means stopping to pay attention to your mental and emotional aches and pains as well as the pleasures. If you have been ignoring yourself for too long, it is time to stop and take a moment.

Let’s focus not only on what you need, but also on identifying what you want. Take the time for stillness. It is a good practice to keep track of how you are feeling on a regular basis. When you feel those overwhelming emotions wash over you, try to focus and identify where is the anxiety stemming from. Ask if these thoughts are even rational and rooted in reality. Try to challenge them and look at the interaction in a positive way. Imagine that you have control over that interaction and you are allowing yourself to be present instead of letting your inner dialogue change your perception. Furthermore, think of other positive aspects of that event that don’t lead to anxiety. Try to look forward to those more than the parts you maybe dreading.

It won’t all happen in one day. It may take time to muster up the courage to do any of it. Ask your therapist or trusted others for help making the action plan. The most important thing is to keep believing in you. Be kind, don’t give up on yourself, get up one more time than you fall down, and things will get better.