A Therapist’s Best Advice for This Pandemic Transition Time
How to get back into the world even if you’re feeling anxious
If you’ve been vaccinated for Covid-19, you may have noticed that your pandemic anxiety isn’t going anywhere. A crowded grocery store, or even a hug from another vaccinated friend, can feel like too much too fast.
Some of this anxiety may be about the disease itself, but often it has to do with new relationship challenges. As many people step back into their social life, they’ll inevitably encounter conflict with others: Maybe you have friends who are not ready to hang out in person yet. Your spouse isn’t thrilled that you’re spending less time with them. Or your parents insist that you spend all your vacation time visiting them.
The truth is that you’re bound to upset a few people as you navigate when and how you want to reenter the world. As I’ve told my therapy clients, you can spend a lot of time and energy trying to make everyone happy, or you can simply follow your best thinking about what’s right for you.
People who try to overfunction for others are often more anxious than people who do not. And if you spend all your energy trying to teach others how to navigate life, you may find that you have little left to direct yourself.
