6 Tips to Re-enter a Post-Pandemic Society

Posted by Daily Health Alerts in Diet & Fitness, Natural Health

During these harrowing days of surviving through Covid-19, so many have been forced to adapt. For some, the thought of working remotely before the pandemic, and especially at the beginning, was inconceivable. Now, a lot of companies are requiring or offering to continue a remote labor force and many employees are happy about it.

In a variety of ways, a year of forced solitude has changed a lot of people. Getting back into a close proximity, chaotic, traffic heavy, crowded world can bring with it a host of unexpected challenges including:

Anxiety
Fear
Low Stamina
Depression
Stress
Insomnia

Re-entering society after a pandemic can be a resistance you didn’t see coming. It can suddenly hit you and strike you with such fear, leaving your home may seem unbearable.

These 6 tips to re-enter a post-pandemic society offer a few simple ways to alleviate the unexpected challenges of a time lived right out of a science fiction movie.

Get out of ‘Cave Syndrome’

After living in isolation for a year, Miami psychiatrist, Dr. Arthur Bregman, coined the phrase ‘Cave Syndrome’. He experienced many of his patients who were normal functioning adults, suddenly becoming afflicted with all the symptoms of someone struggling with agoraphobia (fear of open spaces or leaving home). These symptoms are similar to those mentioned above.

If you are dealing with cave syndrome it is recommended to start your re-entry at a slow pace. Choose to do one thing at a time and then retreat to your safe space. After one outing, when you are ready, add another task and so forth. Do not wait for your anxiety to lessen, as this will hold you back. Entering the world with some anxiety is ok, it will keep you on your toes so you stay vigilant but don’t end up crippled by your own panic anxiety.

Anxiety Vitamins

Let’s face it, so many symptoms that may paralyze your re-entry attempts come down to some form of anxiety.

These vitamin supplements have some good science behind them for calming and rebalancing your scattered central nervous system due to the pandemic rollercoaster.

Vitamin D – A study published in Physiological Research concluded that,

“the association of vitamin D deficiency was recorded not only for depression but also for anxiety disorders with no significant differences between both studied groups.”

Vitamin B complex – Medical News Today (MNT) reported that, “A 2017 study found that people who had lower blood levels of vitamin B-12 were more likely to have depression or anxiety.”

Multi-Mashup – Sometimes a multivitamin taps into a deficiency. These supplements are a formulation of vitamins, minerals, etc with one or more that may help.

A study by researchers at the University of Arkansas, published in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, concluded,

“The 30-day MVM [multivitamin-mineral] supplementation may have a beneficial effect on young adults’ anxiety symptoms.”

Anxiety Herbs

In many cases, botanical medicine can be as powerful as pharmaceuticals. These herbs could accumulate enough to steady a fight-or-flight response when reentering society, similar to many anti-anxiety medication effects.

Ashwagandha – This is a powerful adaptogen which is described in herbal medicine as a natural substance capable of reducing the human stress response.

A small 2019 study published in the journal Cureus concluded,

“Ashwagandha root aqueous extract was beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety.”

Galphimia glauca – Native to Mexico this odd named plant species has been used to treat anxiety for centuries.

As reported by MNT,

“A 2012 clinical trial investigated the efficacy of G. glauca as a treatment for GAD [General Anxiety Disorder]. Participants received either G. glauca or the prescription antianxiety medication lorazepam for 12 weeks. Researchers continued to monitor the participants for a further 3 weeks to test for withdrawal symptoms.

Results showed that participants who received a daily dose of 0.175 mg of G. glauca showed a greater reduction in GAD symptoms compared with those who took lorazepam. Both treatments were safe.”

St Johns Wort – This unique herb is actually recommended by some psychiatrists (MDs licensed to write prescriptions). Before starting more potent, often side-effect inducing anti-anxiety medications, St Johns Wort may be just as effective.

According to Healthline,

“St. John’s wort is thought to work by keeping the brain from using up [feel good] neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine… Anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines (including Xanax and Ativan), work on GABA transmitters in the brain. Therefore, many researchers believe that St. John’s wort could have anxiety-relieving effects due to its effects on GABA transmitters.”

In due time your fear should dissipate and you will be back in the saddle of socialization once again by using these 6 tips to re-enter a post-pandemic society

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