It goes without saying that recent times have been extremely tricky for a lot of people, walking upon vastly unknown territory and having to change our behaviours within the click of a finger has been uncomfortable to say the least. The inability to see loved ones, family and friends, is something which can take its toll on any one of us and simultaneously impact our mental health; we are hugely sentient beings after all and being sociable is a huge part of our existence. Thankfully it’s seeming like there is now candlelight *cough* at the end what seemed to be a never-ending tunnel…
As we now look to move forward and make up for lost time it is important to note some may struggle more than others to bounce back to normality; inevitably there will be contrasts in people’s eagerness to get back to business as usual.
A huge array of weird and wonderful techniques were applied within the lockdown community to get us through the tough time; whether that was splitting hairs over banana bread, exercise routines in homemade gyms, or quizzing - which started to have more of a detrimental effect than a positive one. Did you know an octopus has three hearts? You do now.
Now with Zoom calls having to relinquish their spot on the sofa, it’s looking like we’re going to have to start living without a mute button - as useful as that would be, we must respect that people may have to ‘re-find’ their feet, again...
Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help is not available when something goes wrong. Lots assume it is also a fear of open spaces, but in fact it can materialise into many different forms and to highly varying extents. Social circumstances such as travelling on public transport, visiting a shopping centre, and one that is now most important to mention, leaving home, are all common areas where this form of anxiety can occur.
Menial and routine tasks for a lot of people, commuting, shopping etc have changed. For some they may now be filled with caution and wariness and for people who are at high risk, it has made the prospect of leaving home all the more unnerving. Stephen Buckley, of the mental health charity Mind, said: “We know that the Coronavirus and its impact are causing stress and worry for many people. If you already have a mental health problem, it’s possible that the worries of Coronavirus may be affecting how you’re coping.” The number of unknowns surrounding the issue is one that for people I know, both friends and family, as the main cause of apprehension, or the aptly coined term ‘Coronaphobia’.
A recently published YouGov survey showed that 46 per cent of Brits were fearful about sitting in the barber’s chair and getting a trim; shopping for clothes on the high street once lockdown had concluded was also something they were fearful of. In addition, just under 60 per cent said that going back to restaurants and coffee shops would make them “uncomfortable”.
Whilst these are unprecedented times and far from ideal. It is important that we remain aware of changes and developments affecting our lives, whilst simultaneously avoiding as much doom and gloom as possible. Finding ways of making ourselves as physically and mentally happy are required more than ever.
In a 2011 double-blind, placebo-controlled, simulated public speaking study, patients with social anxiety disorder were provided with either a placebo or 600 mg of CBD 1.5 hours before completing a 4-minute public speaking challenge. Those who took the CBD reported significantly less anxiety, cognitive impairment, and discomfort during their speech performance (Zuardi & José Alexandre, 2011).
In a separate 2019 study, researchers used a similar double-blind placebo-controlled model to study how useful CBD could be in treating social anxiety outside the laboratory. Teenagers with social anxiety disorder took either a placebo or 300 mg of CBD oil for 4 weeks. Questionnaires administered before and after the treatment showed that the CBD group had significantly reduced feelings of anxiety whereas the placebo group showed no significant changes (Masataka, 2019).
Furthermore, at the end of 2019, it was reported we were spending an average of 59 minutes of our day commuting to and from the office. This is a figure that could potentially become a thing of the past with statistics released by the UK's Office for National Statistics April 2020, showing 49.2% of adults in employment were working from home in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. If a large proportion of this number can continue in the same vein, although ideal for some, it could lead to further isolation for others. Making that return to normal life more like an Everest rather than a Benji Nevis.
So, whether your now quite unusual shopping experience has raised levels of stress, whether you’ve had a difficult day at work and battled through a difficult conversation whilst in your ‘JimJams’, or you’re just wanting a moment's peace and quiet. We’ve got you covered. Our CBD Infused Scented Candles can make those ever-important periods of downtime, all the more beneficial to you.