Festivals are about to kick off, and we are so excited to get back to business!
However, as the world around us returns to “normal”, you may be feeling a little anxious. How do you just go about your day as if nothing has happened over the past year when people are still being affected (and infected) by this pandemic?
We’re here to tell you that what you’re experiencing is absolutely normal. Post-Covid Anxiety is affecting many as businesses and public spaces are opening up to full capacity with limited safety precautions.
Everywhere you look, masks are gone and social distancing seems to be a distant memory. So how do you manage to move on with your day-to-day life when you still feel anxiety and dread when plopped into a crowd?
Explore Your Limits
The first step to defining your own “normal” is to explore your comfort level. What is too much for you? Some questions to ask yourself include:
Are you comfortable maskless at all, or do you feel more comfortable with a face covering?
Are you comfortable in public spaces? Indoors, or outdoors?
What activities are you ready to return to?
What size of crowd is “too big” for you to feel relaxed in?
What kind of personal space bubble do you need? Are hugs and handshakes acceptable, and if so, from whom?
The more questions you answer, and the more you define your personal boundaries, the easier it will be to avoid situations that trigger severe discomfort.
Use What Tools And Resources Work For You
Still, need a mask to feel comfortable? Wear it! Need to sanitize yourself and your space regularly? Do it! Feel like you need to meditate or use some other method to take the edge off in the middle of the day? Find what works for you, and use it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing what you need to feel secure in your body and your space, and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise? That sounds like they have their own discomforts to work through.
Don’t Feel Bad About Enforcing Your Boundaries With Others
Those people who are confrontational about your choice to continue to take precautions? Even if they’re someone you know and love, don’t take it to heart. It’s important to communicate your boundaries with the people around you right now; and if they care about you, they will respect those boundaries and do their best to follow them.
Confrontation can exacerbate your anxiety, but it’s absolutely okay to stand firm. Whether at work, in public, or in private, your mental health is of extreme value, and enforcing boundaries of any kind is likely going to be more beneficial for you in the long run than avoiding a five-minute confrontation in the moment.
Take All The Time You Need; Your Comfort Is Important!
You might feel pressure to do what everyone else is doing. You might feel self-conscious about being one of the only ones still wearing a mask. You might be a little self-deprecating about still carrying and using sanitizer CONSTANTLY. Please, don’t feel bad!
Doing what you need to do for yourself is incredibly important. You’ve spent the last year undergoing anxiety and trauma, and it is absolutely okay to take the time you need to heal from that and ease back into regular activity.
Lean On Your Support System
You are definitely not alone in trying to navigate Post-Covid Anxiety! Talk to your friends and family about what you’re experiencing. You may get reassurances, love, and support; or you may even find that you are not the only one struggling, and it could help someone you love to know that they aren’t alone, either!
The Punk Rock Saves Lives (PRSL) community is also here for you! Whether you’re sharing your struggles in one of our support groups or chatting with us at an event, we care about your welfare. When/if you’re ready, you can also ask about opportunities to get involved and learn more about what we are doing at festivals this year!