The Covid-19 lockdown was a time where any type of social interaction was extremely limited. Businesses were shut down, events were canceled, schools carried out the year online, and many families stayed separated for safety. After living in this lockdown for over a year, going back to “normal” was a struggle for many people. After a very harrowing year, returning to work or school caused a lot of stress due to interacting with people again.
To start off, it’s important to note that social anxiety disorder is not equivalent to shyness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health “Social anxiety disorder is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and other daily activities” (NIMH). So, while self-quarantining and working from home may have been a relief for people with diagnosed social anxiety disorder, symptoms of social anxiety have built up in others post-lockdown as they’ve adapted to the lifestyle in isolation.
Some of the common physical and behavioral signs of social anxiety are:
*According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America 15 million adults, or 7.1% of the population in the US are affected by social anxiety disorder. *
(Forbes Health Survey, conducted by OnePoll, Jul. 2022)
Forbes Health released surveys in 2022 that included 2,000 participants. These surveys aimed to show how Covid-19 lockdowns affected mental health and if people felt their ability to form relationships changed after the pandemic.
There is no question that the pandemic impacted students in a multitude of ways. Joi Nichols and Anthony Garza (contributors of this website) were kind to share their personal experience with social anxiety after Covid-19 lockdowns and how it affected both their school lives, but everyday lives as well.
"Social anxiety is very hard for me at stores or places with large crowds. Social anxiety can hinder me from asking questions at the store. I also isolate myself when I am at parties or concerts. I am able to hold a conversation in public. I just wouldn't initiate the conversation out of fear. The pressure of asking for help is scary and also intimidating. I also struggle from rejection. " -- Joi
"Social anxiety has drastically changed how I view school. It isn’t that I am anxious to go to do classwork or present in front of the class, I am fearful of somebody coming in and getting me sick. I live with immunocompromised people, so if I get sick I could get them sick. After covid we have seen many people care less and less about public health and more about their individual health. There isn’t much I could say to people that choose to show up to school sick, since it is their individual choice. But it is concerning that people are not taking their health, or the health of others, seriously enough to care for themselves when they are sick." -- Anthony
"Since the pandemic started it has been a lot harder for me to feel comfortable around a lot of people. Many showed their true colors, in the sense that they were willing to go out in public or travel while sick, while rejecting the simple precautions in stopping the spread of covid or other illnesses. That has made it a challenge for me to trust the people around me. The disregard for their own health means they likely aren’t considerate of the health of others." - Anthony
It is easy to tell someone to “talk more” or “try to meet new people” when they suffer from social anxiety. That mainly comes from a lack of knowledge about how the disorder could affect an individual. Assistant professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine, Hillary Ammon, PsyD, refers to social anxiety as a “vicious cycle” (Penn Medicine). Meaning that without having knowledge of how to treat it, the anxiety won’t go away. Penn Medicine also explains that cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective in treating social anxiety disorder. “While going through CBT to treat social anxiety, people participate in social activities that normally create anxiety for them. For example, if talking to a familiar person is a low-level fear, they will start by greeting a classmate or co-worker” (Penn Medicine). Besides therapy, there are many other ways to help control social anxiety, such as:
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(verywellmind.com)
Deep breathing
Medication
Support groups
Meditation
(cogbtherapy.com) (Eng, W., Roth, D.A., & Heimberg, R.G. (2001). Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy)
Within the Covid-19 lockdown, there was a massive amount of talk and support for self-care and mental health, yet when the world returned to “normal” that talk quieted. As people were adapting to life in isolation, they were also changing. Interacting with friends, family, and coworkers again wasn’t easy. Social anxiety in a post-Covid world is so important to talk about because it has affected so many lives. Changing society’s attitude towards social anxiety and mental health as a whole is vital as it affects so many people, more than most think.
Dealing with social anxiety after Covid-19 lockdowns can feel even more isolating. It is important to know that there are ways to help and take control of social anxiety as our society moves on from the most prevalent years of Covid-19.
Some resources that may be helpful:
