Dealing With Pandemic Anxiety
Lacey 
5 Ways To Dealing With Pandemic Anxiety
The pandemic has created a wide spread of fear all around the world. Even with the COVID-19 vaccine more widely available across the US, the topic of returning to the office, school, and other activities is uncertain. Now that many of us are out and about, this coincides with the spread of the Delta variant and increase of COVID-19 cases. Returning to pre-COVID life amid this latest development can understandably cause feelings of uncertainty or re-entry anxiety.
What Is Re-entry Anxiety?
Re-entry anxiety is an overall uneasiness or uncertainty about returning to the way things were before the pandemic. This feeling may be triggered when meeting socially with friends and family, going back to the workplace, or other aspects of life duties. It might be difficult to get reacclimated to this new norm, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone.
Managing Your Anxiety
Everyone is different in their way of dealing with change. Having a coping strategy can help ease anxiety. There are some common ways everyone can deal with re-entry anxiety. If you’re feeling anxious as you transition back to your pre-COVID life, consider the following five tips:
1. Start small and gradually build up to more significant social interactions. You don’t need to rush back into being social.
2. Know your limits by letting other people know what you’re comfortable with. There’s no need to apologize for not wanting to do something, so clearly explain how you feel and also be respectful of others.
3. Make a bucket list to shift your thinking from anxious to positive. A lot has changed due to the pandemic, but you can focus on the new possibilities.
4. Be happy, even if only for a few minutes each day. It’s important to engage in something fulfilling for yourself regularly.
5. Self care is important so set aside time every day to relax and reset your mind.
We focus on anxiety because stress and anxiety can directly impact muscle tightness. When our minds and body are stressed, our muscle tense up and creates tightness which causes pain. This pain can be alleviated when managed in a healthy way. Working on stress management, we can work on your muscle tightness.