The new normal without the mandatory use of masks It has generated great well-being in the majority of the population, since the risk of COVID-19 for human life is increasingly lower and we can carry out most of the activities that we previously carried out without fear.
However, for some people who have become accustomed to their daily use, readjusting to daily life without frequently wearing masks can be a challenge, especially when it comes to managing the fear of contagion. And in the most extreme cases, this post-pandemic situation has given rise to a series of psychological alterations that feed anxiety.
In order to get used to the new life without masks and minimize as much as possible the discomfort and fear that some people may experience when taking them off in public and closed places, we can follow some general, simple and useful tips that promote mental health in the face of the virus. fear of suffering health problems or even putting our loved ones in danger.
This is a series of tips that will help us live better during this new period in the coronavirus pandemic and that we can also share with friends, family or acquaintances who may have this same problem.
1. Learn to remove the mask progressively, starting in open spaces
To normalize the fact of removing the mask in most closed public places, we can implement a progressive habituation process widely used in the field of psychology, in which little by little we learn to live without wearing it all day and we adjust to the sensations of living without a mask. That is, we learn to face what scares us, starting with the easiest, and progressively moving on to more complex situations.
To achieve this, we can, for example, start by removing the mask in spaces where there is little density of people and a lot of air circulates, and then progress in more common situations, such as indoors, stores, etc.
This progression in eliminating the mask in increasingly larger areas of our daily lives will help us manage the feelings that its removal provokes in us and overcome the different types of discomfort that we experience during the process in a planned and methodical manner. without falling again and again into the temptation of “playing it safe” and putting on the mask and throwing in the towel out of pure frustration.
2. Propose frequent socialization situations
Setting a minimum of socialization situations per week is a good way to keep our social life intact and not give in to the fear of always staying home due to the risk of contagion.
Human beings need to socialize with other people to maintain our emotional balance and general well-being, which is why it is recommended to have several interactions with other people during the week.
These interactions can be with close friends or family, and It is recommended that the issue of the pandemic be addressed as little as possible in them and the new normal in relation to life without masks, to not think about it too much and get over it.
3. Keep an emotions diary
Keeping an emotions diary is one of the most used techniques in psychological therapy to learn to manage our own emotions and feelings and understand ourselves better.
It is also a very useful technique that we can put into practice in our personal life and in the privacy of our home, writing down daily feelings that we associate with irrational fear and also those activities or routines that generate greater stress or fear of becoming infected.
Some of the routines that can generate stress or fear of contagion may be avoiding other people walking down the street, avoiding sitting in a bar or restaurant, not shaking hands or constantly separating from our interlocutor.
By writing down each of the experiences and emotions that cause us fear or stress due to the pandemic, we will learn to understand where our anguish comes from and we will be able to begin recovery starting by overcoming our fears.
4. Limit exposure to anxiety-inducing information
During the coronavirus crisis we have been exposed to a huge amount of information through all kinds of media that has contributed to altering the well-being of many people in our country.
That is why it is highly advisable to limit the time we spend daily reading about diseases and informing ourselves about the pandemic, infections or the situation of the coronavirus at the national level or in the world.
Avoid this media overexposure It will help us to be calmer and achieve the emotional well-being necessary to live better in our daily lives.
5. Perform relaxation exercises
Frequently performing relaxation exercises of all kinds to calm our fears related to contagion or our stress is also an excellent way to have a higher quality of life during this period after the mandatory mask.
There are many techniques that we can put into practice to relax daily, some of the most common may be: Mindfulness, Yoga, meditation, pilates or simple diaphragmatic breathing practiced daily.
6. Keep the week busy
As indicated, the risk to life presented by the COVID-19 disease is increasingly lower thanks to the different vaccines administered in most Western countries; that is why to forget the worries related to this pandemic We must keep ourselves busy during the week both physically and mentally.
Some of the activities that we can do weekly or daily can be physical exercise, social activities with friends or family, mountain sports, walks, watching our favorite series or movies or carrying out a hobby or hobby of all kinds.
7. Go to psychotherapy
In case none of the above advice is useful to us and we continue to have emotional or psychological problems with the new stage without mandatory masks, Going to a psychology professional is always the best option to overcome all types of alterations and problems of various kinds.
A psychologist will help us overcome both the fear of catching coronavirus and any other fear, discomfort or anguish that the current pandemic may cause us and will offer us all kinds of tools, resources and techniques to live better in our daily lives. If you are looking for professional help in this area, contact me.
