Two and a half years into the pandemic, many people still experience mild to significant unease when they leave their homes.
In that first year before vaccines, when we had much less information about how the coronavirus spread, a jolt of panic would squeeze my chest if someone got too close to me in Trader Joe’s. I power-walked down the aisles, eyes narrowed, tossing oatmeal and bread into my cart with the determination of a permed contestant on “For those of us who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems, indoor public places like the grocery store can feel much less treacherous these days.
It’s unclear whether the pandemic has triggered more agoraphobia, experts said. People often have their first panic attacks during high-stress situations, and research suggestsduring the pandemic — but not necessarily agoraphobia. “If there was a proclivity toward agoraphobic tendencies, these past two years may have worsened it, but it didn’t necessarily create it from nothing at all,” Capaldi said.
In 2020 and 2021, fear of getting COVID-19 in public places was a “major theme” in Charlotin’s therapy sessions. “I’m hearing the word ‘COVID’ less now,” Charlotin said.If you’re feeling anxious about being in public, for whatever the reason, you can take baby steps to gradually make those situations less stressful.
Talking about your fear can build your tolerance too, Charlotin added, as does thinking about it in an intentional way. “Practice in your mind: If a panic attack were to happen, how would you address that? What would happen afterward? How would you remove yourself from the situation and ground yourself?” Charlotin demonstrated.