Social Anxiety + COVID-19
Sweaty palms.
Racing heart.
Disoriented and alert.
It was 2:03 A.M. on May 10, 2020. A year ago — although it seems like at least 2 years have passed since then.
There, in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was waking up from an awful nightmare in which I dreamt that we all were returning to “real life.” I had only just gotten used to having all of my meetings online and only leaving my house for walks, so I wasn’t ready for another change so soon. Lucky for my anxiety, this transition wouldn’t be happening for nearly another year.
Fast forward to today, May 10, 2021.
We’ve grown so accustomed to the pandemic lifestyle that it feels almost entirely normal. But now, it’s changing again. Bans are lifting, restrictions are decreasing, and socialization is about to become altogether different as we begin seeing more people in person, potentially even without masks.
There are diverse reactions to this shift, whether they be hopeful, anxious, distrusting, or a little bit of everything, but one thing is for sure: we are all feeling anxious, at least somewhat.
We all have had and will continue to have varying degrees of anxiety as it relates to life in a nearly post-pandemic world.
Let me say it again: we all have had and will continue to have varying degrees of anxiety as it relates to life in a nearly post-pandemic world.
Existential theory holds that anxiety is — you guessed it, existential — meaning that it is a natural feature of human life. Everyone experiences it, so of course we would experience it with regard to a global pandemic. However, as mentioned, we all experience it to different degrees and in different ways.
One main way in which we are feeling anxiety’s effects is in socialization.
Since we have essentially been in social hibernation, getting back into a social routine is likely to bring up feelings of anxiety.
Prior to COVID-19, an estimated 12% of the American population had been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, a mental health condition characterized by an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others that interferes with one’s lifestyle[¹].
As a result of COVID-19, occurrences of social anxiety disorder have only increased, according to a 2021 study of 204 U.S. adults, and there is more research to come. Feeding into this is the fact that social networks decreased as isolation measures strengthened and feelings of loneliness increased when social interactions reduced[¹].
Obviously we see this as an indicator of how safe you feel and how your nervous system feels in that social environment. If you feel socially anxious, it typically means you are experiencing dysregulation in your nervous system…
...And, like any good book, we’re going to leave you on a bit of a cliff-hanger. What’s important to note now is that social anxiety surrounding COVID-19 and its repercussions is real and altogether normal. Up until this point, we had very little data surrounding how to act or live — or simply be — in a global pandemic.
Next up we will be talking specifically about social anxiety and what to do when you’re experiencing it.