The lockdowns implemented during the height of the Covid19 Pandemic meant long periods of time with very limited, or maybe hardly any, social interaction. During this time, it seemed that all anyone could talk about or hope for was to be reunited with friends and family, attend restaurants and be out and about once again.
But now that lockdowns have eased, and society is beginning to approximate pre pandemic levels of socialisation once again, an interesting phenomenon has begun to occur. People are exhausted. Where once you may have been able to attend three social events a week on top of your normal workload, attending a single lunch requires a full day’s recovery the next day. Perhaps you feel drained after a catch up with friends, where once the social interaction would have left you energised. You’re not alone.
In 2018, a group of psychologists in the Antarctic published a report that identified the phenomenon many people are experiencing in a post lockdown world. They found that people who suddenly experienced limited social interaction (like what people experienced in lockdown) developed reduced emotional capacity. They called this condition ‘psychological hibernation’. Entering a phase of psychological hibernation is an entirely normal response to an environment like lockdown.
When we are placed in conditions of lower stimulus, our brain adapts by functioning at a ‘quieter’ level than usual. As Emma Kavanagh, a psychologist specialising in how people deal with the aftermath of disasters, explains; “we got used to being alone.” The result of functioning at this lower level for an extended period of time is that when we are then exposed to increased stimuli, like being surrounded by a dozen loud strangers at a pub, the now unfamiliar environment can be a shock to the system. Your brain goes on high alert. While this is a normal survival response, this increased level of attention can leave you feeling exhausted once the interaction is over.
While it may take a few months for your brain to adapt back to coping with more social stimulus, rest assured that it eventually will. The length of time is person dependent, so try to stay in tune with your own specific needs. If you find yourself needing a full day to recover after a brunch, don’t overdo it. Try not to overcompensate for the social time lost in lockdown. Your brain functioning will eventually return to normal. Give yourself the time needed to get there safely.
The lockdowns implemented during the height of the Covid19 Pandemic meant long periods of time with very limited, or maybe hardly any, social interaction. During this time, it seemed that all anyone could talk about or hope for was to be reunited with friends and family, attend restaurants and be out and about once again.
But now that lockdowns have eased, and society is beginning to approximate pre pandemic levels of socialisation once again, an interesting phenomenon has begun to occur. People are exhausted. Where once you may have been able to attend three social events a week on top of your normal workload, attending a single lunch requires a full day’s recovery the next day. Perhaps you feel drained after a catch up with friends, where once the social interaction would have left you energised. You’re not alone.
In 2018, a group of psychologists in the Antarctic published a report that identified the phenomenon many people are experiencing in a post lockdown world. They found that people who suddenly experienced limited social interaction (like what people experienced in lockdown) developed reduced emotional capacity. They called this condition ‘psychological hibernation’. Entering a phase of psychological hibernation is an entirely normal response to an environment like lockdown.
When we are placed in conditions of lower stimulus, our brain adapts by functioning at a ‘quieter’ level than usual. As Emma Kavanagh, a psychologist specialising in how people deal with the aftermath of disasters, explains; “we got used to being alone.” The result of functioning at this lower level for an extended period of time is that when we are then exposed to increased stimuli, like being surrounded by a dozen loud strangers at a pub, the now unfamiliar environment can be a shock to the system. Your brain goes on high alert. While this is a normal survival response, this increased level of attention can leave you feeling exhausted once the interaction is over.
While it may take a few months for your brain to adapt back to coping with more social stimulus, rest assured that it eventually will. The length of time is person dependent, so try to stay in tune with your own specific needs. If you find yourself needing a full day to recover after a brunch, don’t overdo it. Try not to overcompensate for the social time lost in lockdown. Your brain functioning will eventually return to normal. Give yourself the time needed to get there safely.
