Yes, the Pandemic Is Exacerbating Social Anxiety
Useful tips for managing symptoms while in lockdown
If you have social anxiety, you may have felt your symptoms worsen during the pandemic. Perhaps you’ve been finding yourself wanting to avoid or escape online events, rereading awkward Slack conversations long after they’ve ended, or worrying that the people on the other side of the screen don’t like you.
If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone, says journalist Lauren Corriher, writing in Elemental. Corriher spoke with clinical psychologist Ellen Hendriksen, PhD, an expert on social anxiety, who said that being locked down at home throughout the pandemic has mimicked avoidance, “which feeds and waters social anxiety.”
Fortunately, there are many ways to take control of these feelings. Breathing and attention techniques, for example, can go a long way. Corriher also provides useful guidance from experts on using Zoom in a way that won’t fuel anxiety.
Read the guidance at Elemental:
