Social Anxiety in the Post COVID World

Let's face it, we've been inside for a while. We've adjusted to a new way of life. We work from home, we live from home, we're home a lot. Home has become our movie theaters, our bars, our favorite five star restaurants, and even at some point bread factories.  The pandemic has shown us that we can do a lot at home.  Home has become a safe place for many of us.  With all this staying home, it's very easy to be less social. Meetups of the past in bookstores or cafes have largely been replaced with the zoom calls and Google meetings.  Our social life has become our social media life. Meeting with friends and loved ones behind the screen has been our way of life for a while. 

So as things begin to return to normal, it can be scary.  We live in a world where we don't really have to pay attention to social cues as much.  It was a world of online tests and homework and then you log off.  There's a lot naturally to be missed when we are online.  We don't really have to care as much about how we look which can be a good thing but I for one am guilty of sweatpants and a fancy shirt.  What changes when we go back to normal, I think it's normal to be anxious about that. This is a time when social anxiety will be higher.  We got comfortable with a low social battery.  We didn't have to consider our place amongst a group of people in an open setting for quite some time. Now the thought of doing that again can definitely feel overwhelming.  Anytime were faced with something new or different anxiety is sure to follow.   I think it's really normal for us to be a little weary of the changes that are coming. We may even have to relearn social behaviors. The truth of the matter is there is a difference between the occasional going out during the pandemic, sneaking out so to speak for a few breaths of social air,  and returning to what we hope is normal life. It's naturally going to be an adjustment and it's okay to be worried about that. 

It's okay to not know what to say in group settings or around friends,  it's okay to not know what to say when we interact with people who maybe we haven't interacted with in a while.  To put it into a metaphor it's almost as if we are all used to the dim light of a candle, and here we are finally opening the door to the outside world.  The light is going to be bright, it's going to feel a little overwhelming. We've made friends with the shadows on the wall of the cave, meaning our social life has adapted to survival. We were in this balancing act for years between our need for a social life in staying healthy and safe. There are going to be some rough patches,  some awkward moments, probably some feathers getting ruffled.  We will most certainly get on each other's nerves as we emerge from this.  But that's okay.  It's important to remember that these moments happen regardless of what has happened in the world over the past number of years.  We've had awkward moments before, we have misspoken, we have played a part in people's reactions  and they played a part in ours. Life will go on, it may feel a little different and it may feel a little strange but I think we're all going to be okay. If you or a loved one are struggling with social anxiety as we emerge from the pandemic, our therapists are here to help.  We can help guide you through this process and teach new ways to cope.  Schedule your session today and begin a journey towards healing.

How is Remote Working Still Affecting Couples? by Connor Cohen, LMSW

The pandemic has been a bit of an ebb and flow. Cases have gone up and down, all while time has marched continually onward. It’s a bit strange to look back and think about how we collectively thought of the pandemic in March of 2020. It was scary and unknown and it began a trend of work from home. At the time we probably thought that it would be anywhere from two weeks to maybe a month or two of this change. And yet as of writing this, it is now March of 2022 and many of us are still at home. 

Working from home has created a lot of new changes and challenges both on a personal and interpersonal level. In the beginning, mainy of our issues may have been revolving around initial cohesion of working and living from home with our loved ones. In the early stages, maybe you had trouble finding a space in your home for you and your significant other to work at the same time. As time has marched on, we have no doubt found ways to adjust but some challenges may still exist and new ones may have even popped up along the way. 

One issue that may be affecting you and your loved one is the issue of scheduling. With work from home comes an adjustment to our schedule.  Not only is it more difficult to discern home time and work time when your workspace is now your living room, but schedules with your loved one may be conflicting and leading to tension and uncomfortability. It can be difficult when one person in a relationship works late into the night, not only does that eat into your time as a couple, but it potentially robs one partner of their space for that scheduled time. For example, if one partner is working late hours after the other partner has finished their work for the day, the partner that is done may just want to relax and enjoy their space at home. Due to the working partner, this person is forced to remain quiet, unseen and out of the space where the working partner conducts work. If not properly discussed and communicated, it can certainly be a frustrating scenario. 

Another issue that may still be arising is the issue of time. We all love our partner but let’s face it, sometimes there can be a feeling of spending too much time with someone. It can happen with family members and it can happen with significant others. We all naturally need our space and our own time to simply be by ourselves. Without the natural separation of work, tensions can build between couples, especially in cases where that couple is missing open and honest communication. To be honest, work is naturally stressful. Often in relationships before the pandemic, our partners did not have to deal with that stress directly, we had time away from our partner to cool down and process events that happened at work. In today’s day and age, we are seeing our partner right when the situation or stress is occurring so naturally, some tempers may flare from time to time. As a loving partner our natural instinct is probably to try and comfort our loved ones in those moments but our partner may be feeling overwhelmed with stress and act frustrated at these attempts to help. 

So what do we do in this work from home life? Step one: communicate, even when it feels difficult. No matter how long we have been with our partner, they can’t read our minds. Step two: Find ways to set boundaries with work and with home. It can be difficult to do but it is completely necessary. One helpful example is to stop talking about work after a certain time you and your partner agree on and try to stick to it. The key is to try to find a balance between letting work time feel like work and letting home still feel like home. 

If you or a loved one are struggling to communicate with the challenges that come from work from home life, don’t be afraid to contact a professional for help. Our therapists here at Niyyah can help you and your loved one find a healthier coexistence with work and home.

Coping with Travel Anxiety During a Pandemic by Nabiha Hasan, LMSW

It seems that Covid may be our most popular blog topic of the year. If so, that would be for very valid reasons - the pandemic is just about two years old and doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon. Things that were once very normal have now become a luxury or commodity, such as: traveling, being in large gatherings, working from an office, or even going to school on campus. The focus in this article is going to be on traveling - the anxiety caused by some of the changes in traveling is surreal and can be quite overwhelming. Take note of some of the strategies and tips below to help combat this anxiety to the best of your ability when time comes for you to be on the go via air or sea.

Check travel requirements regularly. Make sure you are up to date with travel requirements at all times. In the event you are traveling internationally, do be cautious of that country’s rules and regulations regarding vaccines, positive tests, and/or quarantine periods. Yes, there have been countless instances where travelers have gotten trapped due to changing requirements or positive tests, etc., but doubling checking the rules and regulations at all times will definitely be helpful in allowing yourself to prepare for any potential things that you need to check off your travel-readiness checklist.

Focus on what’s in your control. Looking up all travel requirements, wearing a mask, being vaccinated, using sanitizer upon touching any surface or object, and socially distancing yourself from others are all things you can focus on. Remember that! Whether or not the person next to you on the plane is vaccinated, has tested positive for Covid, or washed his hands before touching your luggage when he put his in the stowaway compartment are all things you don’t have control over…but may definitely cause some anxiety. At the end of the day, you can only be in charge of yourself and your actions and take the necessary precautions.

Travel when absolutely necessary. If you feel that even your preparations and efforts in managing your anxiety around traveling are still impacting the ability for you to take your journey in peace, re-evaluate your travel plans. Yes, there are some circumstances in which traveling is inevitable, but if you can avoid your plans or postpone them, go for it. The only uncertainty here would be that no one knows for sure just how long the pandemic will last; take things day by day and be assured that you will be ready to travel when you are most comfortable.

All in all, our therapists at Niyyah Counseling have been working endlessly throughout the pandemic, and are familiar with some of the anxieties and emotions that have come up for the past two years. In the event that you feel the need for help in managing your emotions, trust that we will help guide you through your worries and fears. We are a click away and would be more than happy to help!