Social Anxiety
Social Anxiety after COVID-19
While some may have recovered normalcy after COVID-19, the post-effects of this time are still fully present for some. There may be physical and/or psychological consequences, for yourselves or a loved one. One prominent after-effect of COVID-19 that many people have experienced is social anxiety as a result of lack of social contact during COVID and a significant amount of time away from normal social environments. Now that normal routines have returned, many of those social habits have not fully returned or may not feel as natural. Today, we will take a deeper look into social anxiety resulting from social isolation and the pandemic and steps you can take to combat it.
When can social anxiety affect you?
Whether it’s at work, in public spaces, or with a group of friends, social anxiety can affect an individual at any point in their day. Often it can look like a fear to speak up, a fear to be around a large group of people, or a fear to go out generally. Many of us find that social requirements that were formerly habitual are now tasks that require motivation and energy that they did not require before. Social anxiety can also look like a decrease in the overall confidence of an individual. Social situations that would normally be comfortable and easy, may become challenging. So how can we combat these effects of the pandemic?
It starts by understanding that what you are experiencing is very common. Although it may feel like you are the only one in your environment that is feeling anxious or uncomfortable, many others around you are most likely experiencing this as well. Social anxiety is not a new condition, however, because of the pandemic, its prevalence has increased. Friends, family, bosses, coworkers, classmates, and teachers have all most likely felt similar feelings at some point. Folks with social anxiety report feeling that others are judging them. Although it can often feel true, it is rarely the truth. An important reminder is that people are thinking about you, judging you, or noticing you, much less than you think. A major factor in dealing with social anxiety is recognizing that others are not scrutinizing you and social anxiety can affect accurate perception.
While the pandemic may have increased social anxiety, its effects can be managed and old habits can be relearned. Reconditioning old social behaviors and previous confidence may seem like a daunting task but it can be done. Social confidence is a skill that takes practice, patience and time and the pandemic may have left many without consistent use of those skills. It is normal to feel out of practice and old habits will return with continued effort.
While social anxiety may feel overwhelming during this time following the pandemic, this is something that can be worked through. You are not alone in these feelings and many people regardless of age, work, or stage of life have also reported feeling this way. If social anxiety becomes something that feels too much to handle on your own, a therapist may be a valuable resource to help you along the path of building confidence and social skills.