It’s been a year since life slammed to a halt across America and people retreated into the safety of their homes.
“People are experiencing what I affectionately refer to as ‘pandemic poop out’,” said Dr. Margaret Cochran, a transpersonal psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker.
“People are exhausted. They’ve just had adrenal stress forever, their bodies have been filled with a lot of very, very powerful chemicals - and not good ones - and their bodies are feeling that stress.”
Not to mention the more than 529,000 lives that have been lost.
But now there is a light at the end of the tunnel. More than 33 million Americans have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and President Biden has pledged for all American adults to have access by May 1. The CDC says people who are at least two weeks out from their second shot can safely socialize with each other without wearing masks and social distancing.
While this is certainly something to celebrate, many people may find it difficult to return to normal life after a year of loss, caution and fear.
Dr. Cochran advises people who are feeling anxious to take it slowly.
“You have to take it a little bit at a time. You may feel an experience called ‘flooding’ where just all of a sudden, all of this stimulation comes at you,” she said. “Don’t necessarily have your first social function be a giant cocktail party. Start out with small groups of people that you trust and expand from there.”
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Some people are eagerly counting down the days until they can have a large party again, and others may feel uncomfortable at the thought, and both are okay.
“There’s no right way to be social, no right way to grieve. You do it on an individual basis. What you need to pay attention to is how are you feeling, how is going for you. And if you need help in any way shape or form, to remember to ask for it.”
Dr. Cochran says fear can be a helpful tool that keeps us safe, but to a limit.
“Pay attention to, are you responding to fears in your head, or are you responding to information that you’re getting in terms of scientific data?”
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