Many people suffer from social anxiety. The level of frequency, intensity, and duration differ for everyone. While social anxiety is common for many, some are experiencing social anxiety for the first time. Covid-19 has caused many different mental, physical, financial, and emotional challenges for individuals and families. As a result, generalized anxiety and social anxiety levels are elevated. In this blog, we will explore post-pandemic social anxiety. Hopefully, it will be beneficial for you or someone you know.
Gauging your pre-pandemic social anxiety
This may be hard to believe, but millions of people suffer from social anxiety. Research suggests that the numbers are higher for women than for men. While the numbers are higher for women, there is not a huge gap between women and men. In fact, research suggests that 7% of the population suffers from social anxiety. By using a social anxiety scale, you may find that you had some level of social anxiety before the pandemic.
Perhaps, it will be helpful to use this scale to evaluate yourself two times. First, evaluate how you feel post-pandemic. Second, evaluate how you think you felt prior to the pandemic. Knowing where you were on the anxiety scale prior to the pandemic can give you an idea of how much your social anxiety has increased during the pandemic.
Understanding post-pandemic social anxiety
If there are people telling you to snap out of your social anxiety, don’t listen to them. Your anxiety is justifiable. Nearly 5 million people have died from the pandemic and the unvaccinated population is still dying. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who has died from Covid-19. People have witnessed their loved ones suffer for days from the virus. In some cases, people were isolated from their loved ones and later discovered that they died from the virus. Many were not allowed to have a proper funeral for their loved ones because of the pandemic. These experiences are devastating and extremely traumatic.
Additionally, many of us have kept our distance from others for over a year. We do this in order to survive and not get ourselves or our loved ones sick. Still, this was and continues to be a daunting task. Suddenly shifting your thinking so that you feel comfortable interacting with others is also no easy task. Socializing at this time can be intimidating. You may need to gradually re-enter society to start connecting with people again.
Tips for reducing social anxiety
The first tip is to use the self-rating anxiety scale. Using the scale will allow you to understand where you are mentally, emotionally, and physically in regards to post-pandemic social anxiety. Once you know where you are on the scale, you can determine what type of coping strategies you need. There are many different ways to cope with social anxiety. However, coping may look different depending on the frequency, intensity, and duration of the anxiety. Knowing what you are feeling and why is the first step towards resolution.
Read about healthy ways to reduce anxiety before a stressful event
Physical symptoms of social anxiety
If you are having physical symptoms associated with post-pandemic social anxiety, do not ignore them. Physical symptoms and signs of anxiety can be frightening. If you are experiencing physical symptoms from your anxiety, it is important to seek professional help. There is nothing to be ashamed of. This is a normal thing that impacts many people.
Many people suffer from feeling their heart race, intense perspiration, feeling faint or dizzy, and in some cases having difficulty breathing. These conditions can make one feel as if they are going into cardiac arrest. This is a frightening thought and experience to have. Understanding your anxiety can in fact reduce your anxiety as we can’t address what we don’t understand. Learning how to cope with your social anxiety can allow you to reclaim your social life and maybe even have a new social experiences.
Read about healthy ways to cope with social anxiety
Hopefully this post has offered you some sort of clarity around what you are experiencing in regards to post-pandemic social anxiety. While this may have been helpful, I strongly suggest that you seek professional support. This especially important if the frequency, intensity, and duration of your social anxiety impacts your level of functioning. Be kind to yourself and do not dismiss your social anxiety, as this is a normal human reaction to social circumstances. Social anxiety coupled with post-pandemic social anxiety can place anyone in emotional overload. It may take time to learn to navigate the new normal of social awareness.
Are you struggling to reconnect due to the pandemic? Our therapists can help! Book a free consultation with myTherapyNYC to find out how a therapist can help you to take control of your social anxiety.
Where are you on the anxiety self-rating scale and has it changed post-pandemic? Join the conversation in the comments below!
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1 comment
Social anxiety pre and post pandemic is so real. It is nice to know that I am not alone in social anxiety that comes up while entering back into the world. Gradually re-entering back into society is also a great idea.