These people thrived in pandemic isolation -- and aren't ready to return to 'normal' socializing

For socially anxious people, pandemic isolation has been a blessed reprieve. If you dread direct contact-based social, work or school obligations, a return to a pre-pandemic life might be stressful. Here's what the new normal looks like for those who aren't rushing back.

And then there are those people for whom life outside the home in pre-pandemic times was sometimes unbearably stressful and frightening. These are the socially anxious people. Many of them have become proficient at hiding their symptoms, which can include irrational fears, an overly self-conscious presentation, fear of humiliation or embarrassment, and excessive worry around social interactions.