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Psychology professor details how to handle COVID re-entry anxiety, post-pandemic

About half of people polled said they feel uneasy about returning to in-person interaction, post- pandemic.

NEW CONCORD, Ohio — As masking and social distancing requirements start to go away, some are experiencing anxiety about returning to "normal." 

According to polling done by the American Psychological Association, "around half of people say they feel uneasy about readjusting to in-person interaction post-pandemic." 

10TV talked with Dr. Dinah Meyer, a psychology professor at Muskingum University about how to navigate these changes. 

"I think one of the main things to know is that awkwardness and that discomfort is really normal," Meyer said. "If you feel that, that doesn't mean you're doing the wrong thing." 

Meyer added, "It's also important to understand your feelings are going to conflict and that's really OK. We talk about this as being both/and. You may feel excited about seeing a friend, but really nervous about it. It's OK to have both of those feelings at the same time."

Here are some things you can do to feel more comfortable: 

  • Take baby steps - Start by taking a walk outside with your friend without a mask or having someone over who is also fully vaccinated and go from there. 
  • Have the conversation - It's OK to talk with your friends and family about how you're feeling about the changes. It can relieve anxiety to talk about what everyone is comfortable with ahead of getting together. 
  • Think about what you're looking forward to in this new phase - Try to reframe your thoughts so it's not about going backward, but moving forward with a new way of living based on what we learned during the pandemic. 

Meyer said it's important to put yourself out there, even a little, so you can readjust. 

"It's better to do that sooner than later because when you delay doing things that make you anxious, it just increases that anxiety," she said. 

To read more about COVID re-entry anxiety, click here. 

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