Covid-19 has made me socially anxious

Coronavirus 19 has brought so much hardship through our entire world. One particular thing that has been challenging due to this pandemic has been the inability to have daily human interactions. Many find themselves now questioning how they will interact with others after over a year of limited social interactions. I am here to say that you are not alone in feeling this way. For over a year, we have been subjected to being indoors during times that we may have been surrounded by other individuals. Limited social interactions can lead to feeling alone and trying to figure out how to deal with issues we may have discussed with others. What you may have also experienced is grief. Grief doesn’t have to mean the passing of an individual but the loss of something significant. We experienced grief when our world changed to something we have never experienced before but with grief comes healing and I am here to help with that.
One way to begin breaking the cycle that we have created is to implement small social interactions. This can start through calling a friend. Practicing having small talk at the comfort of your own home. Once you begin to feel comfortable, you can move to scheduling a video chat call. This will encourage normalizing daily interactions. Just remember, we all have been in this hectic time and are curious how to get back to our normal interactions. But just like any skills you may have had to put aside for a while, with a little practice, it will start to feel normal again. You are not alone, we are here for you.

​Briana Barrera, ACSW