The COVID-19 pandemic has truly devastated the whole world in the past year. It forced businesses to close down, classes to run online, people to stay home, and everyone to maintain social distancing to limit the virus from spreading.
This year, people have been receiving the vaccine to improve their chances of avoiding getting infected. Many countries have also been reopening their borders. Businesses are resuming their operations, and people are reuniting with their loved ones again.
Despite more cities falling into the new normal, allowing public gatherings, and rekindling in-person encounters again, many seem to be having trouble rejoining society. Unfortunately, their anxiety holds them back. If your mental health is stopping you from living life outside your home again, keep reading below to find out ways to ease back into reality.
Find a Support System
Remind yourself that you don’t always have to handle things independently and that it’s okay to ask for help. If you’re worried about going back outside, you could reach out to your friends and family and seek their love and support to teach you how to become social again.
It’s okay to still fear going outside, but if you’ve been cooped up in your home for more than a year to the point that your mental health has deteriorated, it’s time to get up and go out. Another way to stay connected with people is by talking to them through phone or video calls.
Set Your Limits
Even though you and your loved ones have been fully vaccinated and authorities have announced that people can go out again, the choice is still up to you. If you don’t want to go back to normal yet, you could take things slowly by still wearing a mask, meeting only with loved ones who are keeping circles small, and maintaining a distance from those who aren’t.
Since concerts, music festivals, and other crowded events are taking place again, you don’t have to go if you’re still wary about your safety and the presence of the COVID-19 virus. Instead, you could opt for smaller gatherings where you know the people attending.
Take Your Time
When the whole world went into lockdown, it took a while for everyone to accept that this is their reality, and they have to adjust with the times accordingly if they want to survive. The same way goes for transitioning out of lockdown after staying home for so long.
You don’t have to rush into things and go back to the public right away, especially if you’ve gotten used to being inside for the past year. You can address the situation on your own terms and only do what’s comfortable for you to avoid putting yourself at risk when you’re not ready.
Consider Treatment
As more people return to a new version of normal and work to rebuild society, the anxiety and depression they’ve been feeling due to the COVID-19 pandemic will slowly disappear. For others, it will take even longer because it has consumed a considerable part of their lives.
If you’re scared of how things will turn out for you and cannot go on with your routine, you could opt for professional help and seek a doctor or therapist’s assistance. They are in the rightful position to assist you with your condition to guide you until you’re okay with entering the public.
Conclusion
Everyone is fighting different battles and has different experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s up to you how you see yourself rejoining society. What matters is you go by your own rules and worry about your welfare, prioritizing your health and safety above all. If you’re worried about your anxiety growing worse, it will help to find a support system, set your limits, take your time, and consider treatment to help make you feel better.