Why We Feel So Socially Exhausted After Lockdown

The social explosion after months of being cut off

🍹I’ve been waiting for the first drink outdoors like the Messiah since last year. The joy of meeting my friends again in this euphoric atmosphere made me happy, but it had a strange effect. When I got home, I felt great fatigue that knocked me out.

Many of us had been waiting for this resumption of a social life. But what surprised us was that we didn’t expect to be affected by the sight of our diary filled with parties, exhibitions, and outings to restaurants or the cinema 🎥…

Too many stimuli at once

🥊 Barely a month after the restrictions ended, I feel exhausted. According to the psychology researcher Christophe Haag, we’re taking an “uppercut from society”. Social interactions have started again all at once and have increased because of the lack of them before. However, that creates an emotional storm in us that is energy-consuming.

The brain is overwhelmed and can no longer handle the emotions and all the stimuli 🌪️!

Pandemic fatigue is already present

We were so happy about the lifting of the restrictions that we forgot about the fatigue accumulated by this crisis that has lasted for a year and a half. Indeed, the number of burn-outs has doubled because of the pandemic, so there is inevitably a repercussion on our mental health. 

🥵 So it was ambitious to want to get back to “life as it was before” without taking it easy!

Fear that the pattern will repeat itself

As well as the accumulated fatigue due to the crisis, I live in permanent fear of the 4th wave. It’s therefore difficult to get going easily as there’s always the threat of being locked up again somewhere in the corner of our minds. Hence, the urgency to live these summer months to the full.

😰 This means that we’re always alert and on the lookout all the time. We’re afraid of reliving the psychological collapse experienced during the winter months. The hyper-control and awareness of it all don’t allow us to live in the carefree way we used to.

The temptation to make up for lost time

During the first lockdown, we were forced to slow down and find a cruising rhythm. The lockdowns weren’t good experiences for me, but for some, they were able to take their foot off the pedal, rediscover their families, do meditation activities, etc. It was generally easier to slow down, even if the risk of depression shouldn’t be overlooked.

But then you have to quickly readjust to the noises of the city, the large number of people, going back to the office, etc. You also want to make up for the “lost time” during the lockdowns, but it’s like doing sport. It’s obvious that you can’t run a marathon all of a sudden after months of rest. Otherwise, you risk muscle strain and mental exhaustion! You, therefore, have to go back to life progressively, taking it step by step 🧘‍♀️.

What solutions are there for our social fatigue?

Personally, the first thing I did was refuse requests from people. This may seem unthinkable for some people after months of restrictions, however, you have to learn to say no and listen to yourself. You don’t need to attend every social event just to please others. They’ll understand, especially if they are the ones who love you.

⚠️ Beware, this doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself and spend the summer locked up. However, you need to find a balance between the different events and your rehabilitation.

It’s also important to have a healthy rhythm. Don’t go to bed too late, put intuitive eating at the heart of your meals, avoid drinking too much alcohol, do sport… In short, take time for yourself! The best remedy for post-lockdown social fatigue is to relax and take it slowly 😴.

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