ExplainerAnticipatory anxiety: what it is and how to overcome your fears, as cases rise with return to the office and going out after the pandemic

Thinking about aspects of life that are within your control, such as health, work or relationships, will give you a sense of optimism, an expert says

Breathwork, meditation and journaling, as well as adopting a dog, have helped a fashion executive whose anxiety grew while stuck alone in lockdown

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If you are anxious about leaving the house or returning to the office after the pandemic, you could have anticipatory anxiety. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:15am, 16 Jul 2022

When Bao Anh Duong relocated from Hong Kong to her native Vietnam in June 2021 – during the Covid-19 pandemic – she had not anticipated having to spend life there in lockdown. She began to suffer emotionally as the isolation stretched on.

“The four-month lockdown was extreme,” says the 42-year-old Duong, a sportswear industry executive who had lived in Hong Kong for 12 years.

“We couldn’t leave the house [in Ho Chi Minh City], not even to buy food or groceries. I’d always been an anxious person, but during the lockdown my anxiety worsened. I worried about not having enough food and didn’t know if the restrictions would tighten further as the pandemic raged on.

“Worse, I was alone and couldn’t see my family or friends. I felt trapped and didn’t know when I’d be able to leave my house or travel again. I was lonely and suffered from panic attacks.”

Journaling, breathwork and meditation have helped Bao Anh Duong get a handle on her anticipatory anxiety.

Although life is almost back to normal now in Vietnam, Duong says she still has “lingering anxiety”.

“I don’t know what will happen next. The past couple of years have taught me that life can change in a heartbeat, and it’s that uncertainty that I find a little unsettling.”