Post ISO Anxiety

The Australian Government have shared their next stage of plans to get us all back to “normal life”, or a version of it at least. And, while the recent message was thankfully clearer than the one the British public received, it raised questions for me, alongside a few waves of uncertainty.

Now I finally have my head around ‘life in isolation’, I face a new phase of ‘life no longer in isolation’. But as the dreams of being back in a yoga class, in my favourite cafe or being squished around a dinner table with my nearest and dearest comes closer, it seems that some bubbling anxiety has come with it. Perhaps it is what Andrew Beattie, Editor at LinkedIn, has aptly referred to as “re-entry syndrome”.

Psychologists say this feeling of dread, brought about by the concept of going back into “normal” society, is a kind of reverse culture shock, one usually associated with returning home from living overseas. Clinical psychologist Dr Kimberley Norris says the excitement of being able to have contact with others is likely to be followed by a nationwide emotional crash, and advises us to “slowly reconnect with friends, family and colleagues” to “soften public reintegration.”

The imminent lifting of many of the COVID-19 restrictions is an exciting prospect. But I have to admit that there’s also a feeling of overwhelm mixed in with that excitement. In many ways, this slower pace has suited the introvert in me; less social commitments made weeks in advance and no chance of FOMO. At first, I admit, I found it incredibly challenging; job loss and financial worries aside, I missed the connection and the social interactions. But in recent weeks, the one-on-one walks and two-person quota on visitors has worked for me.

I’ve had more focused conversations with friends and found new connections. I’ve had more time to check in with how I’m feeling each day and therefore able to react accordingly. These past weeks haven’t been dictated by a busy schedule (social or work related) or any real demands of another’s choosing and I’m not really looking forward to that potentially changing. I recognise that this makes me one of the lucky ones. 

Chatting to friends, I understand there’s hesitation and anxiety around going back into the office, getting back to busier schedules and fuller social lives. I initially felt resistance in being asked to stay home and now I’m surprised to feel that resistance to the opposite too.

I guess that much like the rest of humanity, I struggle with change and for the most part I’m a creature of habit and routine. Any kind of uncertainty often makes me feel uneasy. I am aware that going back out into the world still poses risks of contracting and passing on the virus heeding warning that there will be a spike in cases. And I know from discussions with friends that stay-at-home ‘normal’ is a lot more desirable for some than going back to the long commutes and hours spent in the office instead of with kids and loved ones. So although the new changes are in some ways what I’ve been waiting for, it’s not all black and white.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is, however I am feeling in light of these imminent changes, once again, all I can do is roll with it and take it slow.

We are all going to have to adjust and I’m sure it will feel a bit bumpy but I have no doubt we’ll each find our own way to navigate this next bit.

With a little help from our friends of course.