How to deal with Post-Pandemic Social Anxiety

Tools for increased social anxiety post pandemic.

It’s been a year.  The world is starting to open back up, concerts are being advertised, restaurants are at full capacity and masks are optional.  Some of us couldn’t wait for this to happen.  Now it's here and we’re FREAKING OUT!  

It feels weird to go somewhere without a mask.  It feels weird to see people's whole faces, like they forgot to put on pants.  I struggle sometimes to remember that people can see my entire face and have to watch my facial expressions (or what's in my teeth).  How do we greet each other now?  Hand shake? Hug? Elbow tap?  

First of all, we are here to tell you, you are not alone in feeling like this! A lot of people are struggling to get back to “normal”.  One of the best things you can do is to talk about it.  Anxiety lives in your worries about the future.  Saying out loud what you are struggling with can help, and then it can help someone else because they can say, “yeah me too”!

Some of the other tools for anxiety that we teach is using deep breathing or box breath.  Just focusing on your breath (like your apple watch tells you) can help ground you and remind you to be in the moment.  There is also box breath where you breath in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, out for 4 counts and hold for 4 counts.  Repeat until you feel better.  

There is also using the  five senses where you find 5 things you can hear, 4 things you can see, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you smell and 1 thing that you taste to help bring yourself back to the present moment and stop focusing on the future.  

It’s great that we are beginning to move out of pandemic life, but it can also be scary.  That's ok! We need to recognize it so we can move forward. If you are struggling with social anxiety for any reason, give us a call at Harper Therapy and set up a free consultation at 813-434-3639.