After a gruelling three months of lockdown, locals can finally enjoy some new freedoms from today, but the transition back to some form of normal won’t be easy for everyone.
COVID-19 has had a profound effect on the mental health of Australians, evidently shown through record numbers reaching out to services such as Lifeline.
Michelle Jiang, a clinical psychologist from Cumberland Hospital’s Anxiety Treatment and Research Unit said its unknown how long the country will feel this impact.
“With lockdown comes a lot of financial instability and the added stress that comes with that, in addition to being confined to your house and household, is very difficult, especially for those with troubled family dynamics,” she said.
“All of these things have created a lot more stress, whilst reducing one’s access to coping resources, which is why we’ve seen a lot of people trying to pick up new hobbies over lockdown.
“I think a lot of people came into 2021 hoping it would be better than 2020, so to find themselves in the same situation or worse has been difficult for many to stay hopeful.”
Whilst reuniting with loved ones, returning to work and attending social events is an exciting victory for many, for others it is more complex.
Dr Jiang says it’s not uncommon for life after lockdown to feel daunting.
“It’s a big change and adjustment, and we as humans generally find change difficult,” she said.
“It’s different to last year, we’re coming out of lockdown living with COVID, knowing it is still very much active in the community.”
Dr Jiang highly recommends getting the COVID-19 vaccine, especially to put anxiety at ease for those with underlying health conditions and the elderly.
She suggests for those feeling a little uneasy to go about things at your own pace and seek mental health resources online if necessary.
“We want to normalise having some anxiety coming out of lockdown but also to differentiate when it crosses the line to being more of a problem,” she said.
“Give yourself an adjustment period and keep an eye on whether the anxiety is a normal emotion coming from a big change, or if it is getting to the point where it interferes with your ability to function.”
If you are unsure, chat to your GP and consider a mental health plan and you’ll have access to up to 20 subsidised counselling sessions, under a temporary COVID support measure.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.