The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people all over the globe in a variety of ways. While things are slowly starting to open back up, it’s more likely that we’ll have to get used to a “new normal” rather than things going back to the way they used to be for quite some time.

Unfortunately, the aftermath of COVID-19 has also created a lot of mental health concerns across the country (and the world).

People are coping with the loss of loved ones. Others are struggling to deal with the virus themselves. Millions of people are facing unemployment while others are dealing with uncertainty at work. As a result, many of the anxieties caused by this pandemic have to do with financial strain and insecurity.

Living through the COVID pandemic has created anxiety for many people. For some, this anxiety has been stronger. Perhaps this has been true for you. Maybe you’ve worried about contracting COVID, having a loved one pass away from it, losing your job or home, or so many other things in the last fifteen months.

There’s a sense of hope, excitement, and anticipation for many with the COVID vaccine. But after living in anxiety for so long because of the pandemic, you may struggle to move beyond that fear as the world reopens.

Here are some suggestions to help you do that.

If you feel like the holidays were a whirlwind that left you dizzy and frazzled, you’re probably ready to reclaim your calm. Your holidays were likely different in some ways due to the pandemic, but there was still plenty to distract and overwhelm you. Checking off shopping lists, planning cross-country zoom meetings, finding new ways to make the holidays meaningful during this crazy time filled your head. It was fun, but you’re ready to re-focus for the year ahead.

Here are a few ways to do just that!

There are a lot of words and terms when it comes to anxiety disorders. Perhaps you’ve heard so many that you’re not sure which is which.

People who suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) experience chronic anxiety. They feel worried all the time. Sometimes they know what they’re worried about, but often they don’t.

If you struggle with anxiety, chances are that you’ve experienced sleepless nights.

There are the physical symptoms of anxiety, of course, that create wakefulness. These include a racing heart, digestive upset, and hypervigilance. But these physical effects are often a result of the things that you’re worrying about.

People with anxiety have a hard time “turning off” their minds.

As you’ve probably experienced, a big part of anxiety is the catastrophic, worst-case scenario thoughts that it can create in your mind. Something that seems small to someone else might lead you into a tailspin of anxious negativity.

For example, perhaps you thought a co-worker ignored you in a meeting. Rather than giving them the benefit of the doubt or blowing it off, you go over and over the situation in your mind. Scenarios race through your mind: maybe they know you’re going to be laid off, you said something unknowingly to offend them, or they just think you’re incompetent.

Before you know it, you’re overcome with worry and self-doubt.

Are you feeling guilty all the time? Do you feel guilty even for little things?

If you find yourself apologizing frequently for things out of your control, you may have excessive guilt. And if you feel guilty for no apparent reason, this is also a sign that your guilt is unrealistic. This likely has its roots in emotional causes beyond your control.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to gain a healthier sense of yourself.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow throughout our country, most people are experiencing some sort of anxiety and fear about it. After all, there are so many different facets of the illness.

What anxieties are you personally experiencing regarding the pandemic?

A number of situations can make it difficult to see a counselor in office. This can be very frustrating to those who are struggling with big issues like depression, anxiety, or other crises.

With most people practicing social isolation these days, you may wonder what options there are to seeing a counselor. After all, most offices will be closed to in-person visits.

If this or other reasons are keeping you from seeing someone in person, online therapy offers a wonderful alternative.

Consider some of its benefits.

It’s normal to feel uncertainty at times. You may not always be confident in every decision you’re faced with. Additionally, most people tend to thrive on routines and habits. When something throws you out of that routine, it can lead to even more uncertainty.

Unfortunately, those curveballs can happen more often than we’d like to admit can also lead to a lot of stress.

There are words with strict psychological meanings that also have everyday meanings. For example, narcissism and depression connote very different things — depending on the context. Another such word is anxiety.

Feeling anxious from time to time is part of the human condition. We can use this word as a synonym for apprehension or concern or doubt. When a mental health professional talks about anxiety, it’s often part of a discussion about a diagnosable emotional disorder.

But what does that mean for the rest of us? If the literal word sends mixed signals, how can you know if what you’re feeling is normal or a symptom?

The arrival of COVID-19 and the social changes that came with it have made teletherapy a wonderful option for those who are struggling with anxiety. It allows clients and therapists to continue to meet even if a city or state is under stay-at-home orders. Any concern about spreading an illness to each other is automatically erased.

Of course, there are also many other reasons beyond social distancing that a person might prefer online therapy.

However, it’s normal to wonder if therapy via video conferencing is as effective as in-person sessions. After all, in-office appointments have been the norm across all medical disciplines as long as we can remember.

Adversities—illness, depression, financial problems, loss of work, etc.—often catch us by surprise.

No matter if they happen on a personal level or global scale, they can crush us. Sometimes, it may feel like we’ve been hit by a bus, unable to recover. And in our minds, we may wish we had the ability of a cartoon character to simply pop back into a 3-D shape after we’ve been run over.

Unfortunately, physically that would be rather unlikely. But we can recover from a mental and emotional blow, even if it may take some time.

What’s the secret? – Resilience.

As you start your anxiety treatment and learn ways to cope with your anxiety, you will also determine that your anxiety is deeply affected by the way you live day to day life. There are things in your life that you can't control, but you can certainly do something in your daily life that helps reduce anxiety.

These are habits that you can start practicing right away to help make an impact on your anxiety responses. These habits will not make your anxiety disappear but will help decrease your anxiety.