How to deal with anxious feelings towards lockdown easing

Just when we were starting to accept our new normal, reality is changing for us again. As lockdown eases, we must adjust to the “old normal” once again, and for many of us, this isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Personally, I have had ups and downs with lockdown over the past year. This time last year, lockdown was a welcome break from the chaotic screeching of exams, and over time I settled into a new routine of preparing for university and going for long walks in the sunshine. Our hopes were raised when society partly reopened for summer 2020, a relief that didn’t last very long. This second lockdown has been a much greater struggle. The winter months have meant being stuck inside constantly, and I have found that this has had a serious impact on my mental health. Due to this, I almost dropped out of university, so I completely understand the anxiety that some of us are feeling as we start to open up the doors to a normal life once again.

Many of us have experienced an increase in health-related and social anxiety since the start of the pandemic, and this has become natural. Yet as we open up, how do we deal with the crushing feeling that crowds of people on the street will ultimately cause us harm? We have been out of this experience for so long that most of us can’t even remember what interaction with strangers feels like, so this article will look at how we can cope with this.

One thing that lockdown has taught me is the importance of prioritising self-care. Since the start of the academic year, I have made a conscious effort to take at least 20 minutes each day to reset my mind. I recommend apps like Headspace and Calm for 10 minutes of mindfulness every morning or evening. I have Headspace Premium and they have several guided meditations targeted for anxiety. In addition to this, the SleepCasts are really helpful, especially for those of us who have gotten into the habit of going to bed at four in the morning! Other self-care strategies that I use daily are journaling and yoga, which help me to reflect and reset my mind so I feel more relaxed. Give it a go - you may find the results life-changing!

If you are experiencing social-related anxiety or health-related anxiety, there are a few more things I have found helpful. The first thing is meeting a close friend that you trust in a garden or park - anywhere that is spacious and open. This helped me to feel less anxious because of the open air and the space between others. Meeting one or two close friends is a great way to start, as these may be people that you trust and a small meeting can help you relax back into in-person socialising. Over time, you may feel that you can up the number of people you meet to four or five, but take this at your own pace and always assess how you are feeling.

Another thing that I found helpful was popping to the shops very briefly. I told myself I would only go into one shop before coming home. This gave me a taster of being back in the shops but helped to reduce any anxiety I had that came from being around others. It was something that allowed me to ease back into normality; I still haven’t fully come to terms with the unlocking of society. To be perfectly honest, the idea of going back to normal terrifies me. I am such a different person now compared to 18 months ago. Ladies, if you feel the same, this isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s perfectly normal to feel this way about returning to the life we once knew, and everyone will take different amounts of time to adjust.

It is worth bearing in mind that you are in control of most of your reality. You can exercise control on your feelings. If there’s one thing the countless self-help books I’ve read over lockdown taught me, it’s that we can take charge over even our most powerful emotions with the right support and encouragement. So if you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. It might just be the key you need to start the car which will carry you back to the normality we’re all craving deep down.

Edited by Pia Cooper