‘Cave Syndrome’ Keeps the Vaccinated in Social Isolation

After a year in isolation, many people who have developed an intimate understanding of what it means to socially isolate are afraid to return to their former lives despite being fully vaccinated. There is even a name for their experience: the clinical sounding “cave syndrome.”

Emerging into the light after a year locked inside is proving to be a difficult transition for some people. Even though a person may be vaccinated, they still may find it difficult to let go of that fear because they're overestimating the risk and probability.

A recent study by the American Psychological Association reported that 49% of surveyed adults anticipated being uncomfortable about returning to in-person interactions when the pandemic ends. Furthermore, it found that 48% of those who have received a COVID vaccine said they felt the same way.

These long-term psychological effects were not unforeseen. In May 2020 researchers at the University of British Columbia published a study in the journal Anxiety that predicted that an estimated 10% of people in the midst of the pandemic will develop COVID stress syndrome after coping with severe psychological problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or mood or anxiety disorders.

Research has attached cave syndrome to three factors:

• habit;

• risk perception;

• and social connections.

We have had to learn the habit of wearing masks, physical distancing or social distancing, or not inviting people over. It is very hard to break a habit once you form it. There is this disconnect between the actual amount of risk and what people perceive as their risk. People are reluctant to resume their pre-COVID lives for different reasons. Some still have an extreme fear of the disease while others do not want to forfeit what they found to be the positive benefits they derived from the forced isolation and solitude.

Advances in technology have put people at more risk of developing hikikomori, an extreme version of social withdrawal lasting six months or longer that superficially resembles effects of agoraphobia, the fear of open or crowded places. So what can be done if someone is afraid to go out? Do people suffering from cave syndrome need professional treatment or just a bit more adjustment time? Research suggest it all depends on the level of severity. If a person has symptoms of exhaustion, depression or anxiety, then perhaps focus on pursuits that provide a sense of purpose in life: meditation, faith work, prayer, playing or listening to music.

Treatment for more extreme levels of anxiety require effective psychotherapy with a mental health professional who can offer cognitive therapy or other treatments that gradually expose a person to a stressful situation to resolve their fears. This may offset a current type of distorted thinking that maybe things will be better later. However, the reality is that things will not change overnight and new norms will need to be accepted, so start by taking that first step out of the cave and into the sunlight.

Extracts taken from Melba Newsome from https://www.scientificamerican.com