Anyone else feeling newly stressed in social situations, Post Quarantine?

[whathehell]

I was really looking forward to a planned, week long visit with some out of state family, but now that I'm with them, feeling strained and exhausted... The people are fine, but coming out of 14 months of virtually NO in-person contact with anyone but my husband, I'm feeling somewhat "overwhelmed", wishing I could just go home to my spouse, my dog and my creature comforts.

Anyone else experiencing anything like this?

FWIW, I'm normally an outgoing, social person, but these everyday,
planned social interactions feel kind of "intense" and stressful. :

[bucolic_frolic]

1. I'm finding people I know going over the top

Talking profusely, with certainty, resentment at the pandemic, complaining about shopping shortfalls ... I'm attributing this to a sort of pandemic unwind after months of isolation. I'm finding retail workers particularly dour.

[True Blue American]

4. I noticed that in the grocery.

Went through a check out line with a clerk. She had no customers. The store was half empty. I waited for the clerk. Finally I had to motion to the woman talking to her. She sauntered slowly over as if I were a nuisance, put my bags on the turntable. I had to load them. The other one watched, doing nothing, rubbing her stomach. You can imagine why.

By the time I loaded my own groceries I was pretty sure I would not be back for a while.

[whathehell]

20. I'm experiencing some of what you've mentioned.

the profuse talking, for example, but not the anger. Maybe I haven't been interacting enough to see "the full range", I don't know.

[Fritz Walter]

2. My Agorophobia is in overdrive!

I'm not just talking about avoiding crowds (i.e. superspreader events), public transportation, and such. It's taking me a while to "lower" my instinct for self-preservation, but I'm working on it.

Hang in there, What!

[whathehell]

14. Wow

Okay, thanks Fritz..

[True Blue American]

3. Maybe it is just me, but

Being afraid to say anything at all among your friends for fear they will go off is my worst problem now.

Even in Church you sense the underlying anger.

[whathehell]

16. Hmm..

I'm not sure why your afraid..Is it because you don't want to get involved in a "Vax" or "No Vax" argument?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

5. I have a friend in Florida who wants to visit me in the U.K. in August

She’s a good friend, but I want to say no.

[oldsoftie]

8. If she's been vaccinated let her come

We trust the vaccines; see your friend!

[whathehell]

15. Is it because..

You're feeling kind of "paranoid" for health reasons, or that you just want to be alone?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

17. Partly, I think the pandemic turned me into a bit of a hermit

Last time she visited, we did a lot of sightseeing. I just don’t feel up to it. That could change once she’s here, but I just feel anxious and full of dread.

[No Vested Interest]

18. Be up front about not wanting to do much sightseeing.

There's nothing wrong with your feelings.
It's better that she deal with where you are psychically before she makes all her plans than when she's planned and/or even arrived.
You and she can deal with it.

[whathehell]

19. I think it's done something similar to me..

Maybe you could explain your feelings to her, and if she's okay with a low key, stay home & chill visit, it could work.

[oldsoftie]

6. I was never really "locked down" so it wasnt bad

GA was the first state to begin reopening, so getting things done was easier. Before that, I worked on a couple empty homes so i stayed busy and never felt locked down. Going out i always wore the mask & washed hands ALL THE TIME!
Being around groups we just spread out & didnt linger for hours. That seemed to work as we never heard of any infections from those gatherings. I even got married in June with about 30 people and a lot of precautions

Been vaccinated since first week of April so feeling pretty good so far

[diverdownjt]

7. I've never not felt like this...

[Naio]

9. Me

When iam outside I still act like a person who is not vaccinated… but iam fully vaccinated and my daughter is always telling me to not worry that iam protected..still Iam feeling very,very scared in the store and visiting family .I just want to be home with my dog and my adorable cats 🐱 is brutal the feeling

[Rhiannon12866]

10. I'm usually okay once I go out, but I dread it.

I look forward to not having to be anywhere. I'm usually okay when I do go out, but it wears me out and I often fall asleep once I get home. I can't believe that I used to be out most days, I'm just not up to that anymore. I think that part of my problem is that when I do go out, I try to get every single thing done that I can think of so I won't have to go out again soon. And I'm fully vaccinated, too, have been since the end of March, thought I'd be relieved - and I was - but I look forward to having nowhere that I have to be. But I think a lot of people are feeling this way if they mostly stayed in for the past year. I also miss the lack of traffic, that was the one thing I enjoyed. And I think my animals got used to having me around, too.

[mopinko]

11. i'm dreading seeing my neighbors.

which is to say, my customers, at least potentially.
my block went mad last summer. idiots w m-100's. night and day the whole month of june.
my hens stopped laying, and started plucking their feathers.
i went to war w the pendejos, and i did shut them down.
it was something.

but now lots of people think i am a loud mouth drunk. le sigh.
lots happened that only i know about. so, i have a story to tell.

the whole thing has wrecked my health, tho. finally got some ativan. hoping that gets me out of this vicious cycle.

[c-rational]

12. You are not alone. There was a cartoon in the New Yorker recently expressing the same sentiment.

[whathehell]

13. Okay, thanks for telling me.

I'll have to check it out.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

21. Yeah feel so awkward

I like my solitude. But quarantine has been hard on me,dispite my reclusive nature.

Glad I got my cat Othello and DU and my fire stick,and my art .

Without them it would be so much harderto deal with quarantine and post quarantine.

My day program has started again,1 day a week. Even though I feel weird going in. It helps me to get out of my apartment.