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End-of-Lockdown Anxiety

Published 26 May 2020 • By Léa Blaszczynski

Fear of infection, panic on public transport or in shops, readjustment to work, the need for consumerism, social pressure... The fears caused by the end of the COVID-19 lockdown are numerous.

End-of-Lockdown Anxiety

According to the Office for National Statistics, almost three-quarters (72%) of adults in Great Britain are concerned about the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on their life and approximately one-third are feeling anxious or stressed! This is not surprising when we know that a period in quarantine of only 10 days can predictive of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a synthesis of 24 studies carried out in 10 different countries by The Lancet

Social anxiety and impulsive behaviour

This emotional state even has a name: cabin fever. It corresponds to the fear of leaving home or of coming into contact with others again after a long period of isolation. The variety and intensity of the symptoms is specific to each person: fatigue, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning or needing frequent naps, lethargy, sadness or depression, loss of patience, irritability, etc. 

Social phobias are thus on the rise, such as agoraphobia (fear of crowds, of a place from which it is difficult to be rescued), anthropophobia (fear of people, also known as social anxiety disorder) or blemmophobia (fear of the gaze of others, of being judged or perceived as abnormal). Excessive behaviour and the need to "make up for lost time", such as taking risks to find loved ones, compulsive shopping, overeating or drinking, etc., are also common.

How can I come out of lockdown successfully?

This period is all the more difficult as there are still many uncertainties. Mental or emotional overload can be alleviated if the rules are clear and the measures are concrete: wear a mask, follow markings on the floor in shops, respect physical distances, etc.

Therefore, if you are suffering from anxiety, don't hesitate to go for a walk in the open air or nature if you can. This will allow you to get back in touch with the outdoors while enjoying the spring weather. Get back into a good sleeping pattern by setting your alarm clock in the morning and cutting back on naps during the day. Plan outings with defined objectives: go shopping for a specific recipe, walk around the neighbourhood, bring your glass bottles to a recycling bin, etc. 

Above all, be kind to yourself, do things at your own pace during this mourning phase. You must accept that daily life will be turned upside down again and that life will not be exactly the same as before. Do not hesitate to contact a professional if you feel the need, you can also consult the Samaritans mental health support platform for free, by phone, email, or their new mobile app.

Finally, while it is essential to remain vigilant and to respect the barrier gestures, keep in mind that in case of infection, the seriousness of the disease is most often very low with, on average, a rate of serious complications below 15% and a mortality rate below 1%. Obviously, these rates are higher in those at risk, such as the elderly, who require even more rigorous precautions than others. But even if they have conditions identified as risk factors (obesity, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases), the vast majority of adults do not develop severe forms. If you have any doubts about the precautions you should take, do not hesitate to contact your medical team. 

Helpful links

  • The Samaritans: emotional support 24 hours a day - in full confidence. Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.uk
  • Shout Crisis Text Line: for support in a crisis, text Shout to 85258.
  • Anxiety UK: Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition. Call 03444 775 774 (M-F 9:30am-10pm, S-S 10am-8pm)
  • Rethink Mental Illness: Support and advice for people living with mental illness. Call 0300 5000 927 (M-F 9:30am-4pm)
  • SANE: Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers. Call 0300 304 7000  (Daily 4:30pm-10:30pm)
    Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: www.sane.org.uk/textcare
    Peer support forum: www.sane.org.uk/supportforum


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Take care and stay home!

10 comments


avatar
Unregistered member
on 29/05/2020

i have no worries or fear about the Lock down. My husband is shielded and i have to stay in for his sake in case if I bring anything in to infect him. So I will stay in as long as it takes. I exercise at home and do all my house work, eat healthy and feel quite fit, touch wood


RolandKi
on 30/05/2020

 I am a 76yr old man, I suffer with Anxiety for which I am being g treated. My wife and I do our best to isolate ourselfs but we must do our own shopping and to be honest I am really frightened about coming  off of the lockdown and in my opinion we are coming off of it far to early and I am very concerned that the virus has not finished with us yet, not by far.


lesmal • Ambassador
on 30/05/2020

I'm not worried about lock down being reduced, as I wasn't anxious about lock down right from the beginning.

I've managed to keep myself occupied and follow the guidelines as requested. 

My main concern is the breakdown of the economy, unemployment and obviously backlog of medical appointments, surgeries and more. My Doctor has still been excellent and attended to both my husband and I when required for urgent matters. 

Wishing you all a happy weekend; hang in there! 


Speech
on 11/06/2020

We are not coming out of lockdowns yet my mother’s over 80 I have a multitude of health it would be to much of a risk , especially when you see people abusing the guide line rules 


DEBBIEW1
on 13/07/2020

I have been sheilding since March due to a underlying medical issue.Lockdown did not bother me at all because of other medical issues i have.Once it was advised sheilding would be paused 1st August i started to venture out.Went with my friend first 2 times,did not like,all the stickers on the floor and social distanceing gone.No wearing of masks by anyone.I ventured out on my own once,back home in less than a hour.I have to go back to work on 3rd August,I dont drive so its the bus.My office is in the town centre.Instead of using clear perspex dividers they have used wood.So its going to be like sitting in a wooden box

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