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How to manage anxiety
Anxiety can feel overwhelming, but there are some simple steps you can ...
READ METhe pressure to return to ‘normal’ after a collective trauma, like a pandemic or natural disaster, can be overwhelming. It’s ok to feel like you aren’t ready to go back.
You might feel hope and excitement to go back to normal, but also fear and worry at the same time.
It’s very natural to find it hard to adjust after a stressful period of time! Here are some common things people struggle with:
Research into the psychological impacts of quarantine and isolation has found that a range of feelings are normal, including: confusion, anger, anxiety, and depression.
Our behaviour also changes as a result of social behaviour trends, and also fear of exposure. You might be experiencing insomnia, exhaustion, irritability or avoidance, e.g. avoiding school and crowded places.
Keep in mind that many other people share the same fears that you do.
We asked you on Insta whether you were ready for things to go back to normal.
39% of you weren’t ready yet.
Here are some of the things you said!
Our stress response
Our stress response is how our brain reacts to danger in order to keep us safe.
Research suggests that different threats push different ‘psychological buttons’. New and unfamiliar threats (such as a pandemic) raise our anxiety levels higher than more familiar threats do.
This may have to do with our amygdala - the part of our brain which processes emotions. It plays a role in detecting new things and processing fear.
Your brain is trying to protect you! That’s why you might be feeling anxious and stressed about returning to ‘normal'.
Lots of things have changed. Returning to ‘normal’ doesn’t mean going back to how things were, it means adapting to the ‘new normal’
"Are you finding it kind of tricky to chat with friends right now?"
You can choose what is and isn’t ok for you in the ‘new normal’.
People might have an expectation that you will feel and act as you did before. They might pressure you to return to normal more quickly than you are ready, or to do things that make you feel uncomfortable, such as hanging out in a large group.
It’s important to know your boundaries.
Boundaries are the line between behaviours we are ok with, and things we aren’t ok with. There is no right or wrong because boundaries are personal.
You are not responsible for other people’s actions – only your own. Here are some things you can do to feel a bit better:
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READ METalking helps! We’re here for you.
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