Getting Back to Life Again

As spring is blooming all around us,  we are beginning to emerge from the pandemic.  Overall in the U.S., Covid numbers are coming down and many people are getting vaccinated,  but we aren’t quite back to “normal” yet.  

Many of us are wondering, “What does normal even look like?”  We all had to make a sudden change in our lives, adjusting to a very different way of living. How do we get back to our lives again?

Just as individuals reacted differently to “lock down”, we are reacting differently to the idea of “re-entry”. Some people are starting to plan trips or dream of weddings or reunions with people they haven’t seen throughout the pandemic.  For others, the idea of “getting back to life” comes with anxiety.  We have learned to live isolated, with much slower lives and less social interaction. Getting back to normal may seem hard or even frightening. 

Dr. Arthur Bregman, a psychiatrist who has been studying the 1918 influenza pandemic’s psychological impact on the world states that roughly 40% of the population during the 1918 pandemic would be diagnosed with what we now call PTSD. “It took 10 years for the people to get out of this,” he says.

Fortunately, mental health awareness has evolved since that time and we have many more options for help. Seeing a therapist is not only acceptable now, but therapy is also widely available. 

As we emerge from the pandemic, for our emotional, mental and relationship health, we need to get back to life. That means beginning to be with people again! 

If that feels intimidating to you or produces anxiety, take small steps.  Don’t push yourself to do everything at once, but don’t allow yourself to get stuck in pandemic isolation either. 

Here are a few tips to help with “re-entry” anxiety:

Make a list of positive habits you formed during the pandemic that you want to keep in your life. It may be limiting kids activities to allow for more family time, continuing to exercise daily or relaxing by reading a good book.

Start reconnecting to former support systems, whether it’s church, an exercise class you used to enjoy or meeting old friends for dinner. You don’t have to do it all at once, but begin to inch back to normal.

Limit your time watching television shows, movies and even catching up on the news. Many of those things that were survival tactics in the pandemic may now be counterproductive and could keep us from getting the social interaction we need. 

Consider going to a therapist to help you with anxiety or depression you have dealt with during the pandemic or family issues that may have arisen.

It may feel awkward.  We haven’t been doing those things. But all change, even positive changes, come with some discomfort. Just like physical exercise, it may be uncomfortable in the beginning.  But the long term results are worth it!