Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital issued the following announcement on May. 4.
If you are experiencing anxiety about returning to normalcy post-COVID and going back in public, you’re not alone.
Taking step to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 helped to keep our families and communities safe, and as vaccination rates increase, an end to the pandemic is in sight. However, after a year of making careful decisions, even if you’re vaccinated, it may be a challenge to interact with people in person again.
“Whether it’s stepping back in public or stepping into your office building, it’s important to give yourself time to adjust,” said Tisha Bayless, Supervisor, at Memorial Behavioral Health. “This past year has been truly traumatic and many times we may not fully become aware of the impact of this trauma until the trauma either begins to subside or has fully subsided. As much as we’d like to, we can’t always bounce back as quickly as we’d like after such a long-term threat to our safety and wellbeing.”
Memorial Behavioral Health offers these tips to help you transition back to going in public after you are vaccinated:
- Take it step-by-step. Avoid making your first trip out to a crowded place. Not only because it is not recommended, but also because it is healthier to take gradual steps towards change.
- Get support from others. Whether it’s your spouse, a friend, a colleague or a neighbor, ask someone to join you as you go back out and check in with one another to see how you’re both doing.
- Get help. If you have anxiety that is debilitating and beyond your control, seek professional help. A mental health professional can work with you to develop a plan and coping mechanisms to adjust to post-pandemic life.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
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