Another aspect of the pandemic’s effects on mental health is that young adults who had been living at home with their parents or just interacting with a limited group of close friends were feeling social anxiety symptoms for the first time as they were ready to increase their IRL contacts. Returning to public life may be considerably more terrifying for people who experienced social anxiety before to the outbreak. Nonetheless, there were a few practical strategies for conquering social anxiety that could make the experience less stressful and more seamless.
Social Anxiety: What Is It?
Social anxiety is defined as the unreasonable fear, worry, humiliation, and self-consciousness a person experiences when confronted with social situations. Anxiety during a presentation at work or striking up a discussion with a new acquaintance are two instances of social situations that can differ from person to person.
As universal as the examples may appear, social anxiety is widespread and affects everyone to some degree in various contexts. However, we may all handle it in different ways. Some people may be able to confront their concerns head-on and overcome them right away, which gives them the courage to proceed. However, some of us may simply withdraw in an effort to avoid any circumstance that can cause us to feel anxious.
Read More: Is there a connection between long COVID and anxiety?
When returning to the outside world, a person may encounter the following triggers:
- Strolling around congested streets
- Being near someone
- Daily encounters with coworkers, students, and other public spaces
- Getting irritated with individuals or things they do that might usually be accepted as normal
- Speaking in public
- Making eye contact with someone at random or during a conversation
- Being extremely attentive when taking precautions to avoid getting the virus
How Does Social Anxiety Feel?
Although symptoms vary from person to person, you may have been suffering from social anxiety if you exhibited any of the following irregularities in social situations:
- Tense Muscles: In reaction to possible threat, our muscles often become tense. even in situations that might not be as hazardous. Our bodies appear to prepare us for a crisis in this way.
- Brain fog: We’d become acclimated to the lock down by staying indoors and interacting with people as little as possible. Our brains require time to acclimate to the new surroundings when we go out and interact with a large number of people. Our ability to think clearly may deteriorate and we may feel as though our minds have become dull before we fully adjust to the social environment once more.
- Breathing difficulties: Many people experienced breathing difficulties when they were nervous. They appeared to be having trouble breathing or to be out of breath. Many of them tried counting down to ten while concentrating on breathing calmly when they noticed that breathing is erratic.
- Being unable to remain motionless in social situations: Individuals who suffered from social anxiety often become restless and struggled to remain motionless in social situations. If you suffered from social anxiety, you might have found yourself moving much more than usual or leaving individuals in between talks.
Five Ways To Get Rid Of Social Anxiety
To manage social anxiety and restore social skills in young adults, mental health practitioners advised using the following strategies.
- Practice Relaxation: There were a number of relaxation methods, including meditation, that could help us feel less stressed and anxious. The incorporation of such methods proved to be helpful to survive tough times like COVID.
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): Psychiatrists and counselors assisted in the implementation of CBT. In order to improve a person’s way of life, they assisted individuals in getting rid of their harmful and negative thought patterns in order to alter their feelings and behaviors.
- Making connections: A lot of people made connections with their loved ones and friends. They tried to make an effort to discuss things they often would keep to themselves. Doing this with those in close circle was worth remembering who made you feel vulnerable and at ease. As many of us gained self-assurance, steadily increased the number of people in social circle.
- Practice self-compassion: Beyond adhering to recommended safety guidelines, there was no “right” way to reengage socially. Young adults need to be kind to themselves, avoid comparing themselves to others, and be okay moving at their own pace rather than pushing themselves to do things they’re not ready for. While emerging from isolation is ultimately supportive for young adult social skills and mental health, as it becomes safe to do so, it does not have to happen all at once.
- Consult a therapist: Speaking with a mental health expert was crucial if conquering social anxiety seems unachievable without assistance. Treatment could be helpful whether social anxiety symptoms were brand-new or were reappearing with more intensity following a year of seclusion and separation.
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Note: You may alter it and emerge as a self-assured individual! Do not be afraid to seek support from a mental health professional if things continue to seem really difficult.