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In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the term social anxiety has been thrown around as a catchall for the discomfort many felt as restrictions lifted and we began to resume our lives. However, it too can oversimplify the greater intensity of anxiety, and associated impact, experienced by those with Social Anxiety Disorder.

The digital natives we child-focused clinicians work with are simply incredible. Not only do they know their way around technology far better than many adults, but they’re also often fluid with their identity: openly embracing either their or their peers’ diverse ancestry, gender identity, sexual orientation, religions, family background, financial standing, as well as neurodivergence and disabilities in themselves and others.

It takes courage to successfully deal with anxiety disorders, but with lots of good information, coaching and support from your therapist and others you can learn to do it. You may not think that you have much courage because you have an anxiety disorder that make you fearful at times. However, courage is not acting without fear. It is acting despite fear. I have seen many, many examples of people with anxiety disorders who learned coping skills, to help them face their fears, and as a result got better and better over time. You can too.

As COVID restrictions get a little less and less frigid with the ongoing vaccination campaigns, a lot of us are very excited to resume some of our normal work and social life. At the same time, we may experience a burst of anxiety as we start to get out of quarantine-- after all, it’s been a really long time, right?!  To help ease up that anxious feeling, Dr. Carmichael has packaged some of her favorite pointers into an easy-to-remember acronym of S.U.N. to help you cope!