How to manage the anxiety of returning from vacation in the uncertain times of the COVID

Tips for managing anxiety and stress when returning from vacation in the COVID crisis.

The moment when the vacations come to an end and we are forced to readapt to our usual responsibilities in record time is usually an unrewarding experience, and for some people it is also a trigger for significant psychological problems.

This year, moreover, the end of the summer holiday period coincides with a particularly complicated social and economic context: a point at which the so-called "new normal" could give way to new restrictions and forms of confinement, due to the fact that there are still many coronavirus infections in Spain.

In such a situation the likelihood of developing anxiety upon return from vacation is increased.Let's take a look at some tips on what to do about it.

Possible sources of anxiety upon return from vacation.

These are some of the factors that come into play at the return of the vacations in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and that can favor the appearance of anxiety problems.

1. Back to school and the risk of contagion

The return to school is a phenomenon that can greatly affect both children and families. The main causes for which it favors the appearance of anxiety are the fear to the contagions in the children. is the fear of contagion in class, on the one hand, and the uncertainty as to whether schools will remain open or close in a few months, which makes planning and preparation for the school year difficult both for the children and, above all, for their parents.

2. Job instability

The fact of being surrounded again by everything related to the professional context acts as a constant reminder of the occupational repercussions of the coronavirus crisis. This sudden transition from the calm of the vacations to a space in which, in many cases, economic instability has opened up several new fronts, can overwhelm us if we do not know how to manage stress and anxiety well..

3. The need to take more and more precautions

Ending the vacations and returning to the routine means, among other things, losing control over the degree to which we risk catching the coronavirus, since many responsibilities can only be taken care of by going out of the office. many responsibilities can only be taken care of by leaving home and interacting with a variety of people outside of our nuclear family..

For those at risk due to health problems (or living with someone who does), the fear of bringing the virus into the home can be a major psychological drain.

Tips for maintaining emotional balance

The most effective way to learn how to manage anxiety and deal with stressful situations is to go to psychotherapy (since this is the only way to apply specific solutions to specific problems, with personalized professional help). However, beyond the psychological therapy there are a series of guidelines that usually help to keep anxiety and stress levels under control.. These are the most important ones.

1. Take care of yourself physically

Do not let work hours lead you to deprioritize moments of self-care, organize yourself well so you can get enough sleep and eat healthy. This way, your nervous system will be less likely to be overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life..

2. Exercise moderately

Especially if you have an office job, it is very important not to switch from vacation physical activity to a lifestyle marked by sedentary habits. On the contrary: maintain a minimum level of activity in your daily life, and above all, practice moderate exercise in sessions of at least 40 minutes. Scientific research shows that aerobic exercise helps to avoid anxiety problems..

3. When faced with the risk of contagion, create a safety protocol.

Do not let the fear of catching the coronavirus keep you constantly in a state of alert. Instead, follow a few very simple behavioral patterns that allow you to keep the situation under control when you are away from home, leaving no room for improvisation, and do not try to go beyond these measures.

For example, always open doors with your non-dominant hand, always carry disinfectant in your pocket for those moments when you are going to eat or drink, and do not try to control absolutely everything that happens to you at every moment, just rely on the protective effect of your protocol.

As these are very simple and intuitive routines, it will be easy for you to adopt preventive measures without having to be always alert about what is happening around you.. Think that if you set out to reduce the risk of contagion to 0%, you would end up with a degree of exhaustion and concentration difficulties that would expose you more to the pandemic.

4. Tackle your goals one at a time

It is essential not to let the obligations become a ball, and for that reason you have to tackle them sequentially.. In this way, we place the simpler, short-term goals in our priorities, and those that are more complex, we subdivide them into more specific objectives.

This helps to put order while we keep reducing the number of things to do, and we do not fall into those moments of "blocking" that sometimes occur when we do not feel ready to do a task, since once we have started working it is much easier to continue in that line.

5. Learn relaxation exercises

There are There are several effective relaxation exercises that you can use in your day to day life quickly, having practiced a little.having practiced a little. Most involve attentional focus management or breathing control.

Looking for psychological support?

If you are interested in professional psychological support to deal with emotional, cognitive or behavioral problems, please contact us. At Despertares Psychologists we have a team of professionals with extensive experience in helping patients of all ages with forms of distress such as anxiety disorders and phobias, psychological trauma, depression, problems with organization and productivity, work stress, relationship crises, and more. You will find us in our offices located in Madrid, Leganés, Getafe and Móstoles. To see our contact details and more information about how we work, access this page.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association -APA- (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Madrid: Panamericana.
• Barlow, D.H. (2000). Unraveling the mysteries of anxiety and its disorders from the perspective of emotion theory. The American Psychologist. 55 (11): 1247–63.
• Grupe, D.W. & Nitschke, J.B. (2013). Uncertainty and Anticipation in Anxiety. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 14(7): pp. 488 - 501.
• Paul, J.W.; Elizabeth, A.. Phelps, eds. (2009). The Human Amygdala. New York: The Guilford Press.