Feeling anxious as things return to normal? You're not alone, experts say Share Updated: 2:07 PM EDT Jun 30, 2021 By Sandee LaMotte, CNN Share Updated: 2:07 PM EDT Jun 30, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript BEN: LIFE IN MANY WAYS HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL FOLLOWINGHE SHAKEUP WE ALL EXPERIENCE TO MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THE PANDICEM WAS DIFFICULT, AND ISOLATED PEOPLE AND THAT HAS LEFT MANY WITH ANXIETY AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. MA RIA: HOW DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE YOU ARE SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME MAY BE STRUGGLING. OUR EYE OPENER ANCHOR ANTOINETTE ANTONIO TELLS US WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT TO .DO ANSWER NET AND MARCH 2020, LIFE SUDDENLY CHANGED OVERNIGHT ANTOINTE:ET IN MARCH 2020, LIFE SUDDENLY CHANGED OVERNIGHT. STREETS AND OFFICES WERE EMPTY. 15 MONTHS LATER, THE ELIMINATION OF PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS HAPPEN AEDOST AS QUICKLY, LIKE SOMEBODY FLIPPED A SWITCH. >> THERE WAS A HUGE MENTAL PEOPLE ARE NOT LIGHT SWITCHES. PEOPLE ARE NOT THAT QUICK TO PIVOT. ANTOINETTE: DR. DUCKWORTH IS A PSYCHIATRIST AND CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS. HE SAYS THE LOSS OF CONNECONTI WITH COWORKERS AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS REVEALED MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR SOME AND COMPOUNDED THEM FOR OTHERS. >>HE T RATE OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND SUBSTANCE USE CONDITIONS ESSENTIALLY DOUBLED DURING THE PANDEMIC FROM 1 IN 5 TO 2 IN 5. AT THE SAME TIME, THE MENTAL HEALTH WENT FROM BECOMING A THEY THING TO A WE THING. I FIND A LO OTF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE GRAY SPACE RIGHT NOW. WE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES WHAT WE ARE ALSO NOT IN THE PANDEMIC DEEP END. ANTOINETTE: THAT STRUGGLE MEANS YOU MAY NOTICE THINGS AND DIFFICULTIES FMRO PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN FACE-TO-FACE IN A WHILE. >> THE RETURN TO WORK, FOR SOME PEOPLE WILL BE A RELIEF. CONNECTION, CONTACT, ROUTINE. FOR SOME PEOE, IT’S GOING TO BE A PROVOCATION OR A STRESS OF THE UNKNOWNS. >> HAS A COWORKER OR A LOVED ONE, HOW DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT AND NEED RFOELP? >> PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS USUAYLLLEEP POORLY AND THAT CAN SHOW UP IN PEOPLE’S WORK EFFECTIVENESS, THEIR ABILITY TO SHOW UP ON TIME. >> SLEEP AND EXHAUSTION IS ONE THING THAT DR. DUCKWORTH SAYS YOCAU LOOK FOR. IS YOUR COWORKER OR LOVED ONE FUNCTIONING AT A LOWER LEVEL? HAVING NEW DIFFICULTY WITH THE BOSS? IS THERE A LOSS OR INTEREST IN SOMETHING THEY LOVED? OR STATEMENTS ABOUT SELF-HARM? IF SO, THE BEST THING TO DO IS HAVE A CASUAL CONVERSATION. >> REMEMBETHR AT PEOPLE CAN FEEL SHAMED. DON’T LEAD WITH A PATHOLOGY. I THINK YOU HAVE THIS DIAGNOSIS, YOU KNOW, INQUIRE WITH OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS. DO YOU WANT SUPPORT AROUND HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH YOUR BOSS? DO YOU WANT SUPPORT AROUND LOOKING AT YOUR SLEEP? AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN. MENTAL HEALTH CONVSATIONS ARE HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THEY ARE HAPPENING NOW, THEY WERE NOT HAPPENING TWO YEARS AGO. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. ANTOINETTE: DR. DUCKWORTH SAYS EVERYONE HAS A BAD DAY OR A BAD WEEK. BUT SOMEONE WITH LONGER DURATION ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION SHOULD SEEK HELP. A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR MAY BE THE BEST PLACE TO START. ARE STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY OR SLEEP. ANTOINETTE ANTONIO, WCVB, NEWSCENTER 5. MAA:RI IF YOU ARE SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS TO BE CNEONCTED TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR SUPPORTC, CALL 211. OPERATORS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES. BEN: WE HAVE A RESOURCES ON OUR WCVB APP AND IF YOU NEED HELP RIGHT NOW OR NEED TO TALK ABOUT SUICIDE, CONTACT CALL-2-TALK. THE NATIONWIDE HOTLINE IS 800-273-TALK. THAT’S 800-273-8255. OR YOU CAN TEXT C2T TO 741-741