The time... is at hand.
Ready or not, the return to “normal life” is just around the corner, and you might be surprised to hear just how many people land on the “not” side of the debate.
A new survey has found 49% of adults say they’re uncomfortable about returning to in-person interactions. It also found the anxiety is high among the vaccinated with 48% of them saying they’re not excited to jump back into pre-pandemic activities as well.
According to clinical psychologist Ellen Hendriksen, a lot of the worries can be chalked up to us “acting like we have severe social anxiety.” So even if you had no trouble in social situations before COVID-19, all of this time housebound and “mimicking avoidance” may have turned into full-blown anxiety. Meanwhile, clinical psychologist Vaile Wright, believes people are afraid of leaving home because there are still too many question marks with the virus, and “in the face of all that uncertainty, we become really ineffective at making good risk threat assessments.”
If you’re among those not ready to leave your quarantine bunker yet, you should know there is no rush for you to get out into crowded rooms again. Jennifer Shannon, a cognitive-behavioral therapist, also wants to remind everyone that negative emotions are not always a sign you’re doing something wrong. Shannon also urges people to avoid seeking reassurance from others about their choices because “true confidence comes from allowing for mistakes and accepting that we cannot please everyone.”
HT: CNBC