The Social Distancing: Coping with Post-Pandemic Social Anxiety

As colleges and universities around the country are slowly opening back their campuses after the devastating effects of COVID-19, new and returning students are now faced with a new normal. With it, comes the big question of what constitutes this new normal amidst the aftermath of a pandemic that had two years of quarantine. One prominent issue coming to light is the potential increase of social anxiety and the consequences of a worldwide learning curb in face-to-face socialization.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Social Anxiety Disorder, or SAD, is best characterized as, “intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation.” The ADAA also highlighted symptoms that include worrying about acting or appearing anxious or, “being viewed as stupid, awkward or boring.” As a result, many people with SAD “avoid social or performance situations, and when..cannot, they experience significant anxiety and distress.” Some other symptoms the ADAA mentioned are also physical, such as, “rapid heart rate, nausea, and sweating…full-blown attacks,” even when the person is aware of their fear being excessive. 

This fear of judgment from other people, whether it be fellow students on campus, professors, family, friends, coworkers, or even strangers in our everyday life, can affect how those who experience social anxiety make fostering connections. This fear can even affect how much a person can succeed in places like the workplace, or even here at Florida Atlantic University. According to ADAA, although less than 5% of those with SAD get formal treatment, and a third feel symptoms for up to 10 or more years before finally receiving help, over 15 million American adults experience social anxiety disorder. 

If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, here are some tips that can help:

 

Seeking Support:

It seems almost ironic to seek help from others while also experiencing intense feelings of social anxiety, but this second opinion may be essential for your own self-betterment. Asking for guidance from the voices of others you trust like friends, family, or even figures you look up to can help give you a variety of different solutions and perspectives. Remember, we have all experienced and been affected by the pandemic, so the problems that you are facing may be part of other people's experiences as well. Personally, by admitting my social anxiety to those I trust, I have found not only better emotional connections but also less isolation and loneliness correlated to it, because I know that I’m not alone. 

If you find that you may need more professional help, the importance of seeking out a healthcare professional such as a therapist is undeniable. They not only have the professional and academic background to provide mental health care, but they will also allow you to speak about these fears in a more private setting through legal confidentiality under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. If seeking professional help elsewhere is unachievable in your life right now, there are resources available online and even on campus. For example, FAU has Counseling and Psychological Services, also known as CAPS, where you can make an appointment, complete a mental health screening online, be part of support groups, and more. More information on CAPS can be found below. 

 

Be Kind to Yourself and Apply Patience

As we all readjust to life outside our four-walled room and back into the rest of the real world outside our computers, it’s important to apply patience and understanding to yourself as you relearn life skills inside and outside of FAU. I know for me personally, I have ceaselessly avoided saying hello to peers on campus I see walking past in the halls, and instead text that I saw them after the fact. Others have forgotten how to make new connections face to face, and many more students have plenty of other stories as well. During this adjustment, remember that new situations, whether it’s a new campus or even a new learning environment, are always a learning experience, and not one where you can learn by berating yourself. That is the exact opposite of helpful. 

If that does happen, however, I personally have found it helpful to remind myself of two things: One, I am not alone in needing time to readjust. Two, ask myself if I would berate another person I care about for doing or saying the same thing I did. Almost always, it is no. 

 

Take Breaks

As an introvert, although fostering connections with others is a must for any human being, I also find it physically taxing. And many others who have been used to the same people, or even just themselves at home for the last two years or so, may feel this physical exhaustion as well. If those feelings arise, be sure to take a break. Drink some water, eat some food, and of course, make sure you get enough sleep. Attending to physical needs is often correlated to mental health needs, and without one, there simply cannot be the other. 

When you look at upcoming events, ask yourself if there is too much or too little socializing in your life, and prioritize the events you simply cannot miss, and adjust accordingly to the ones you can.

During the COVID pandemic, many Americans and even other individuals around the world experienced a sense of loss and hopelessness in the face of this virus. Even now as Americans adjust to this new world, that feeling can still linger and even create social anxiety in individuals. It’s important to remember that as you adjust, that feeling, like COVID, is not entirely in your control - but how you respond to it is. As FAU students, we already have a fostering community of like-minded individuals with similar goals and values. Whether that be in the classroom, at sports games, or even at clubs and other events, be sure to take that opportunity to utilize that, and gain that power back from yourself and your life. 

 

SOURCES: 

https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder

https://www.fau.edu/counseling/services/scope-of-services.php