cas someone said, you never need a vacation so much as when you return. It happens to many, in fact, to find themselves, once the holiday is over, with suitcases to unpack but also with a good dose of anxiety to manage.
What is commonly called return anxiety syndrome or post-vacation bluesis not actually a real pathology but a psychological condition which, however, can put a strain on those who experience it on their own skin.
Depressed mood, sense of frustration, irritability up to, in the most serious forms, a real panic attacksare among the most common symptoms. Originally certainly also one physiological difficulty of adaptation: moving from the relaxed rhythms of holidays to the more rapid or, in any case, very different rhythms of daily life requires a certain effort, both for the body and for the brain.
The good news? The reentry syndrome is one transitory condition, destined to disappear within some time. So there’s no point in resisting, learn to accept your emotions and maybe, try to pull out even from a less pleasant moment, like the one that marks the end of the holidays, something positive for yourself and for your life.
How to do? We spoke to the Doctor Valeria Fiorenza Perris, Psychotherapist and Clinical Director of Unobravo.
Return anxiety: why does it happen?
«The so-called return from vacation syndrome is not a real pathology, but a transitory psychological condition that usually manifests itself upon returning from a vacation period – explains the psychotherapist. – The end of the summer break and the return to everyday life indeed mark the end of a period spent outside the usual habits, with different rhythms and with more space for relaxation and fun».
Symptoms
For some, facing the end of the summer break means dealing with a state of mind or feelings that are anything but pleasant. In some cases, real mental and physical symptoms.
«The main symptoms through which the re-entry syndrome manifests itself are above all related to anxiety, stress and depression – specifies Dr. Valeria Fiorenza Perris. – It can indeed happen of feeling extremely worried and distressed about resuming normal daily activitieswork and commitments or of experience deep sadness and melancholy. The symptomatic manifestations connected to this type of psychological malaise can be of minor but also become more severeas happens in the event that, for example, real panic attacks».
Return anxiety and awareness
It is inevitable to wonder if the malaise one feels at the idea of starting over is somehow linked to one sort of dissatisfaction with one’s lifebusiness or personal.
«It is not necessarily so, but it is possible to experience greater re-entry anxiety if the awareness that the reality that we live, day after day, no longer resembles us – explains the expert. – In these cases, it can happen to feel frustrated, overwhelmed and with no way out».
Clarify within yourself
“An important thing to do can be evaluate what, specifically, generates this sense of oppression in us – suggests the psychotherapist. – In this sense, the moment of difficulty that we feel we are going through will take on a new meaning: it could be the starting point of a path of reflection on ourselves and on the way we set up our daily life that will pave the way for change».
Yes to good intentions, no to excessive expectations
The desire to change some aspects of one’s life is in fact quite typical in this period. For many, September becomes a kind of new start of the year. In other words, the return from vacation turns into a time for balance sheets, for good intentions. More or less realistic ‘to do lists’. Could this tendency also be generating anxiety? Should we learn to set aside long lists of goals to achieve?
«Setting goals as well as taking the time to make balances is not a habit that you need to give up – replies Dr. Fiorenza Perris. – The recovery after the summer holidays marks, a bit like the end of the year, a moment of restart. The risk lies in setting the bar of expectations too high, setting goals that are too ambitious compared to the phase of life in which one finds oneself or judging the results obtained with excessive severity. This can generate feelings of anguish and frustration which contribute to fueling the sense of malaise.
Return anxiety: always staying connected is not the solution
And there are also those who, to make returning to work less traumatic, he chooses never to disconnect completely. Not even on vacation. A choice, however, far from healthy that lacks what is an essential necessity.
«Giving yourself time to unplug from your daily and work commitments is absolutely necessary – underlines the expert. – The Our identity is made up of many dimensions, who must all find the right space. Giving up carving out moments that go beyond work is a choice that doesn’t value all the other aspects of identity that deserve, instead, to find expression and acceptance. Furthermore, it is important not to give up the opportunity to look “from a distance” at what awaits us on our return in order to possibly also introduce transformative elements».
Return anxiety in children
If adults are perhaps the most affected, it should not be forgotten that children too can experience a sort of return stress, after the long period of suspension of school activities, with new habits and new schedules. How to help them?
“To encourage the recovery of daily habits even in children, it can be helpful to start organizing their day by getting them to resume some of their routine activities even before school starts – suggests Dr. Fiorenza Perris. – Most importantly, however, it is always keeping the dialogue open so as to allow the little ones to express their emotions or concernsand be able to offer them the right support and containment.
What if the anxiety doesn’t go away?
The positive aspect, as we have said, is that return stress is generally a transitory condition, destined to disappear. But if anxiety and malaise don’t go away?
“If the fatigue becomes chronic, jeopardizing the days, or the anxiety connected to the return should not gradually resolve, when activities resume, it could be important to consult a psychologist to investigate the root causes of the malaise we are experiencing – concludes the expert. – Individuate sources of stress and take a space to focus on ourselves, tune in to our needs, our expectations and with our ambitions, it is the first step in redesigning our daily lives in the way that most resembles us and to bring about the change that we probably feel we need».
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