Why some people are afraid of life going back to normal after lockdown

• Amy Morin is a psychotherapist, licensed clinical social worker, mental strength coach, and international bestselling author.

Some people are excited as regions in the US being to reopen after lockdown, but many others are concerned about what a ‘new normal’ may look like.

Morin says fears about the end of the shutdown may stem from concerns for physical safety and uncertainty about how society could change.

To overcome these uncertainties, Morin recommends making a plan that prioritises your mental and physical health, having multiple streams of income, and adopting healthy coping skills.

As some states begin to allow businesses to reopen, many people feel relieved to be able to start settling into a “new normal.” But not everyone is experiencing the same sense of comfort. Others are fearful about life returning to business as usual.

There are several reasons why the end of lockdown might be anxiety-provoking for some individuals.

They’re concerned about physical safety

For the past couple of months, the media has constantly warned us about rising death tolls, ventilator shortages, and community spread. And many healthcare officials continue to warn us that opening up too soon could be disastrous.

So there is much to be concerned about safety as shelter-in-place orders are lifted. How do we stop coronavirus from spreading? And how do we help vulnerable populations stay safe? At this point, there are more questions than answers.

They’re anxious about what the “new normal” might be like

There’s a lot of speculation about what the future might hold. Will we sit one seat apart on airplanes? Will we be wearing masks everywhere? Will all of our gatherings be limited to a small number of people? Will large events ever be held again?

There’s a lot of uneasiness about how society will operate in the post-coronavirus era. Change is hard – especially when you have little control over it.

They’ve enjoyed doing less

Some people have really enjoyed slowing down a bit. Being forced to stay home has reminded them that they don’t need to sprint from activity to activity all the time. They learned how to find some joy and inner peace by doing less.

Now, as businesses open and activities resume, going from doing “too little” to “too much” might feel overwhelming.