Stress and anxiety are normal and valid responses to change and uncertainty. With lockdown restrictions easing at the moment across Australia, it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions in response to this change, especially when the “new normal” doesn’t seem so straightforward and our nervous systems may still be depleted.
So, what is Re-entry anxiety?
- Re-entry anxiety is the fear and hesitation about returning to normal and regular environments.
- It refers to letting go of the safeguards that protected us during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- It can also involve stress related to the fear of being unable to adapt to previously established routines.
Why can it happen?
- We sought safety to protect ourselves against COVID-19 and that involved going into lockdowns, spending long periods in isolation. It’s normal to feel anxious coming out of your safety zone.
- Many are feeling pretty rusty on social skills and not only this – but we’ve been conditioned to believe socialising can be dangerous!
- It takes time to adapt and we need to renegotiate our relationship with our world.
- While the experience of a global pandemic may be different for everyone, there is collective trauma and grief from all of our experiences. When we reconnect with people, everyone will be at their own stage of processing.
What are the signs of having it?
- You’re worried about returning to your old life and being able to do all the things that you used to do.
- You’re worried how’ve forgotten how to socialise and that your social battery won’t last very long.
- The thought of being in a crowded place makes you feel overwhelmed
- The thought of going back to work and attending face to face appointments makes you feel overwhelmed
- You’re feeling mixed emotions such as joy, stress, and apprehension, about embracing the “new normal”, again!
Tips for coping with re-entry anxiety:
- Manage expectations: Remember that all transitions can come with challenge and stress, even good changes! It is well known that going through big changes can make people feel stressed out so even if you have been looking forward to coming out of lockdown, it might still be overwhelming for you with ongoing problem solving.
- Go at your own pace: After coming out of a pandemic, it is important to prioritise your sense of safety and take it one step at a time. Only do what feels comfortable for you. This is important for burnout prevention.
- Manage avoidance: If you’re noticing that you don’t feel ready to for certain things, that is okay. However, we encourage you to monitor if you are completely rejecting the change and actively avoiding situations based on anxiety. When we avoid something that makes us anxious, that reinforces the anxiety cycle, so try to make a plan to take steps forward.
- Affective forecasting errors: Be aware that people are prone to overestimating how good or bad they will feel about positive or negative life events. Knowing this means we can give it less weight!
- Engage in self-care: Acknowledge what you’re feeling and honor your needs. Really listen to what your mind and body are telling you. Importantly, this includes setting boundaries – We know we can’t say yes to everything so schedule time for rest. We need the additional rest time because it’s likely we will be feeling overstimulated.
- Continue routine: The more we focus on routine the more we can feel in control of our lives and enhance our self-care practice. Routines help us to create intentional and positive daily habits that help us maintain happiness and feelings of fulfilment.
Reach out for support
If you have any concerns, please reach out to your loved ones or seek professional support such as booking in a call with us. As social beings, connection and support are important for our mental, social and emotional health.
Amy