Are You an Avoider? Recognizing—and Overcoming—Avoidance Behavior msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
After a year of isolation, there are things you start to forget. You forget how to stand in a crowded commuter train (legs apart, slight bend in the knee) or how to shimmy sheepishly past theatergoers to reach a middle seat (face away, apologize repeatedly).
And, without a constant parade of baby showers and work mixers, you forget how to talk to strangers: The witty banter, the conversational volley, the way you break the ice with “How about this rain, huh?” instead of “So, what do you consider your greatest failure in life?”
But the world is starting to open up again, and that means having to engage in that dreaded four-letter word chat with people you don’t know. If the idea makes you nervous, you’re not alone.
Donât Worry, You Can Learn to Talk to People Again
Soon we will no longer be trapped in our homes and skittering away from strangers. A few experts remind us how to be social again.
Credit.Miguel Porlan
April 23, 2021
After a year of isolation, there are things you start to forget. You forget how to stand in a crowded commuter train (legs apart, slight bend in the knee) or how to shimmy sheepishly past theatergoers to reach a middle seat (face away, apologize repeatedly).
And, without a constant parade of baby showers and work mixers, you forget how to talk to strangers: The witty banter, the conversational volley, the way you break the ice with âHow about this rain, huh?â instead of âSo, what do you consider your greatest failure in life?â
Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images
Maybe you’ve been imagining it for months the feeling of freedom that would arrive once you’ve gotten the COVID-19 vaccine. You can get a haircut! Hug your friends! Eat in a restaurant!
Yet you may be surprised to find that when the day comes, the anxiety you’ve felt during this pandemic year isn’t so quick to melt away.
That’s what Stina Wedlock discovered. The 52-year-old physician in Indianapolis has been vaccinated for months now, yet she still feels reluctant to return to some of her favorite activities. “I loved going to the theater. I’ve even traveled across the country and to the United Kingdom to see my favorite actors in plays,” she says. “Now, I don’t know if I’ll ever see my favorite artists live again.”
Meet BU’s Newest AAAS Fellows Research Accolades Meet BU’s Newest AAAS Fellows
A pioneer in treating anxiety, one in turning moon dust into oxygen, and one in developing disease diagnostics for low-resource communities recently appointed fellows
January 28, 2021 Twitter Facebook
Each year, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recognizes scientists who have made major contributions to their fields of expertise. As the chaotic and uncertain year of 2020 neared its close, three Boston University researchers joined those ranks as new AAAS fellows, honored and acknowledged for their deep expertise, one in biomedical engineering, one in sustainable energy solutions, and one in clinical psychology.