We are officially past the year mark of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and many of us are wondering what our new normal may look like moving forward. Some states are opening back up, vaccines are becoming available to the general adult public, and a lot of us are feeling a heightened level of anxiety with these new opportunities. We want to empower you to have the best information possible for your physical health while also supporting your mental health.
CDC Recommendations
For your physical health we will always encourage you to stick to the advice of your doctor and to look to the Center for Disease Control for guidelines on travel, vaccinations, and anything else regarding your physical wellbeing. The CDC has very specific recommendations for those who have been fully vaccinated and are looking for how to do that safely.
However, some of us are fully vaccinated and still have feelings of anxiety when we think about gathering indoors or in large groups. We have a few recommendations for managing that anxiety, and for making sure your needs for socializing and human connection are being met.
Assert Your Boundaries
Sometimes it is important for us to get out of our comfort zones. We can learn something, stretch ourselves, and end up having a positive life experience. However, other times pushing ourselves beyond our comfort does not really serve a purpose for good in our lives. The next few months we will have a lot of practice asserting ourselves in a respectful way as we hold to the boundaries we have created. It may feel like you’re being mean or anti-social by turning down invitations to gatherings, but at the end of the day it’s okay to set boundaries in relationships and it doesn’t make you a mean person.
Anxiety Reducing Strategies
When you decide you’re ready to go out, you may feel more anxious than you did before. Many of us will experience social anxiety for the first time in our lives - and we need skills to handle those feelings.
Breathing techniques - slow your breathing down. Before you get out of your car take 5 deep breaths and make sure your exhale is longer than your inhale. Slowing down your breathing communicates to your brain that you’re safe.
Challenge your anxious thoughts - this past year has been really difficult because we have had to make decisions that felt impossible to make every day. It felt dangerous to go grocery shopping for some of us. It will take time to reprogram our thoughts and tell our brain that we are safe - interrupting our anxious thoughts with factual reminders will be helpful.
Come talk to a therapist to process through some of the anxiety you’re experiencing. A lot of times having a space that is empathetic, compassionate, and judgement free can make the biggest difference. There are so many triggers out there for anxious feelings and social anxiety these days - you’re not alone, come get the support you need.