Our resilience has been challenged. We are all emerging from the pandemic with some form of change, whether that’s more self-awareness, a new hobby, grief or even a career change. Returning to work, and society for that matter, after being away for such a long time can affect people in many ways. As a psychotherapist I feel it is, at least in part, my responsibility to support as many people as possible to readjust and recover from this experience.
Ending the Working From Home Lifestyle – Some words from our Director
Our resilience has been challenged. We are all emerging from the pandemic with some form of change, whether that’s more self-awareness, a new hobby, grief or even a career change. Returning to work, and society for that matter, after being away for such a long time can affect people in many ways. As a psychotherapist I feel it is, at least in part, my responsibility to support as many people as possible to readjust and recover from this experience.
As you’ve most likely seen on the news, the pandemic has had a huge impact on people’s mental health. I can’t quite fit the neurology of this into 600 words however your experiences of worry, apprehension, anxiety and depression are a normal reaction to, what our brain perceives as, threat.Covid 19 has been exactly that, a threat. When we don’t feel safe it is expected that adrenaline kicks in, cortisol rises (unhappy body chemicals) and the loss of social connection causes our oxytocin and serotonin to lower (happy body chemicals). This in turn has had an impact on our general wellbeing, i.e., sleeplessness; indigestion; grinding teeth; irritability and even our immune system. Whether we label it or not, your brain and body are responding in a way that is proportionate to your experience. Except what happens when that chapter is coming to a close but you’re still feeling this way?
This is again normal, but sometimes our brains and bodies need a reminder to reinforce that we are once again, safe. Avoiding these fears and experiences will not resolve the problem. Trying to get back to normality for many people will help to some extent, normal routine, familiar faces, sense of purpose, it all contributes. However, returning to work will, for many, be an added source of stress.
Everyone will experience different feelings and cope with them differently – there is no right or wrong way to feel. There are some ways to help!
Ease yourself in slowly. If you are struggling with returning to the workplace, you may benefit from seeing if you could come back for a few days a week to begin with, or work from home for half of the week, until you feel used to the new routine and a lot of your stress or worry has lifted. This may not always be a possible option for every job so try your best to speak to your manager or team leader about your concerns and work together to find a solution to your transition.
Do what makes YOU feel safe: Everyone’s level of safety and precaution will feel different depending on their experiences during the pandemic. It is important that you focus on what you feel comfortable with, rather than what it feels like the rest of society is doing. If your already anxious or apprehensive, then adding shame and self-consciousness to the mix will not make this easier
Talk to someone: Whether they show it or not, a lot of people will have fears the same as, or similar, to you. Confiding in a family member or a close friend who you can trust may help reassure you that you are not alone in feeling the way that you do, and may be able to address some of the worries you’re facing. If you feel comfortable enough, talking to a colleague you can trust, or your manager/team leader, may be a good way to find out additional ways to keep yourself and others safe in the workplace.
If you are struggling, then please give us a call and speak with one of our team to get some advice and support. We offer counselling and psychotherapy for adults and children at our Solihull and Burton Clinics. Please get in touch.
07868137694 | enquiries@serenitypsych.co.uk