E D I T O R ’ S M E S S A G E D i n e e n P a s h o u k o s W a s y l i k – D P W L e g a l
prepare for reentry
if you are finding the thought of returning to pre-COViD activities to be difficult , you are not alone . Doctors are calling it “ reentry anxiety .”
We are now a little over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic crisis . With the end of the school year on the horizon and about half of Hillsborough County adults vaccinated as of the end of April and more to come , many of us are feeling like we just got used to the “ new normal ” — will we be going back to the old normal ? Will things ever be “ normal ” again ? If you are finding the thought of returning to pre-COVID activities to be difficult , you are not alone . Doctors are calling it “ reentry anxiety .”
As one psychologist has explained , anxiety comes from having difficulty tolerating uncertainty and fear of the unknown . 1 The process of letting one ’ s guard down to “ re-enter ” post-pandemic life is an “ iterative process that leaves a lot of people in a state of uncertainty , and then they ’ re trying to make an informed decision based on their level of risk .” 2 Couple that with the fact that lawyers tend to be risk averse people to begin with , and the wide range of risk tolerance among varying populations and even within friend and family groups , and of course reentry is a source of deep anxiety for many . What are some ways to tackle that anxiety , both personally and professionally ? Here ’ s some tips , compiled from various mental health professionals , that I hope will be helpful .
Make a post pandemic “ bucket list ,” Experts recommend building hope by coming up with a list of things you will do as you start getting out and about more . It can be as simple as getting a manicure or haircut , taking care of “ deferred maintenance ” by re-scheduling missed doctor ’ s appointments , or as elaborate as traveling once you feel safe doing so . Start making plans to follow through on the list : having the plan will both give you time to get used to the idea , and give you something to which you can look forward .
Reintroduce activities slowly . Now that you have your list of what you want to do , do it ! But not all at once . Ease into activities by visiting with one friend rather than
having a full-on party , or taking a small , drivable weekend jaunt before trying to get on an airplane again . Don ’ t overcommit right away , but rather work yourself up to your pre-pandemic activity level — if you even want to be quite as busy as you were before . Remember , too , that it is OK to decide you don ’ t want to bring back all of those activities . Instead , pick and choose what is most important to you , and try each new priority on before adding a new one .
Get outside . One benefit of living in Florida is that until the dead heat of summer , it is a lot easier to spend time outdoors than in other parts of the country . And even in summer , access to beaches and pools and fresh air is more available to us than elsewhere . If you have not left your house much , try getting out for walks ( particularly in the early morning or late evening ) to just get used to being out and about . Consider meeting friends at a restaurant with outdoor seating for a start , if you have not already . Working on movement will also help release the physical stress from being hunched over a computer all day .
Focus on things you can control . Since uncertainty is a driving factor for anxiety , figuring out the things you can control can help you alleviate anxiety
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