As someone who used to live in Melbourne, where we had lots of cases (for Aus) and a seven month extreme lockdown, and now live in SA where there hasnt been a case all year, I'm in a singularly unique position where I've experienced the trauma of the pandemic and also the "end".

And I don't mean that to imply that it's over. It's not. For most of the world it's not. But functionally, in my day to day life, the pandemic affects very little. I can do activities safely. Hug friends. Go out to dinner. See a movie.

I have a point I swear.

So ... I say this not as a downer, but as a heads up. A brace yourself. Because when this is functionally "back to normal" for you--whatever that looks like. Let's say your country is mostly vaccinated, or cases are down, or the risk is non-existent.

At first, there will be euphoria. Exactly what you've pictured. The thrill of seeing friends and family. The novelty of walking into a crowded store. The awe of hugging someone and knowing neither of you have been placed at risk by this.

But after the euphoria, there will be delayed processing. Because when you're in it, your brain basically goes into survival mode. It's that adjustment. That numb, "this is how it is" feeling. That's survival. When you're surviving, your brain can't process.

We actually see this a lot in psychology. Someone will come to us and say "I don't get it. I feel depressed, but my life's okay now. I survived this stressful period at work / exam / accident / illness, I was fine. Why aren't I fine now?

Well, because now your brain has decided it's safe to start to heal. And healing is HARD. Processing is HARD. You've just gone through something astronomical. And your brain has to figure out what to do with all that trauma and adjust to the new normal.

All this to say: as vaccines start arriving, and cases in some countries start to drop, if you're in one of these countries... Just know that if you suddenly feel worse than you did during, it's not unusual.

It's a sign that the mental healing process has begun.

It will not last forever. And the more you can participate in the activities you've missed, and see the people you haven't seen, the more you'll strengthen yourself to deal with what needs to be dealt with.

Look out for each other. Understand that it someone you know withdraws sharply as things become "normal', this could be why. Share stories. Humans who share trauma can often help each other process. You're surrounded by people who get it. Don't be afraid to seek and give support.

And most of all, don't feel guilty if you experience this. For me, it's coming out with a lot of fatigue, and bitterness, and anger, and an urge to explain to people here what my state went through. Disturbed sleep. Pessimism. Fear that it'll all happen again at any moment.

That doesn't mean I'm not grateful that I'm safe right now. It doesn't mean that I'm not coping correctly! It doesn't mean I've done anything wrong. Its just a normal trauma processing. And time will heal it. Even if we're left with a scar to remind us of what happened.