Are you anxious about re-entering the world? An expert provides some tips on how to ease the transition

A recent report found close to 50% of Americans are experiencing a post-pandemic panic.

News 12 Staff

May 11, 2021, 2:15 AM

Updated 1,253 days ago

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If you are feeling stressed, anxious or nervous about life after COVID-19, you are not alone. A recent report found close to 50% of Americans are experiencing a post-pandemic panic.
Dr. Liz Matheis calls it post-COVID anxiety.
"It's very real. People feel it on an intense real level," Matheis said.
Lauryn Patracuola says it is the fear of the unknown.
"I've become so accommodated to online learning. I'm more nervous about transitioning back to in-person," the 20-year-old said.
Like many students, Patracuola's junior year at Fairleigh Dickenson University was virtual. By the fall, she and her peers will be vaccinated and back in the classroom.
Matheis says shifting from social isolation to public interaction is a frightening reality that many aren't ready for.
"It's this fear of a virus that we still don't know much about, right? There's a lot of conversation about the vaccine - might only be good for so long and you have to get a booster, so nobody is feeling 100% secure," she said.
According to a recent report from the American Psychological Association, 49% of people say they're anxious about meeting face-to-face.