A little less like socializing with other people, but still want to get out of the house and have fun. The last seven or eight years I have wanted to have as much fun as possible, and it is related to getting older and feeling like I should grab the fun while I can, and also it has to do with wanting to feel free.
Covid I was very careful and did not socialize much at all. Being home was so much less stressful than going out, but luckily there was a lot I could do outside and not have to get close to a lot of people. I still am more careful than I was before covid. It is easy to see how people become agoraphobic. So much less to worry about staying at home, but I don’t really worry that much in general when I am out and about, but just saying I can understand it, because when something does go wrong it is so annoying to deal with it.
For me, there is a lot in the news the last eight years that is incredibly stressful, frustrating, scary, and saddening, and it can affect my mood. My opinion is shut off the TV, stop reading the news every day, take a break from social media if yours is full of disheartening news, and take a break.from it all. The break can be as long or short as you want, but change the pattern. I only watch a lot of politics on Sunday, except right before an election. Every day watching, reading, or listening to politics for hours was not good for me.
I have to compartmentalize to not miss out on life. Usually, I can be sad or want to hibernate away from people, but then flip a switch, shove any distraught feelings aside, and go out and enjoy what is in front of me. Sometimes the somber mood is overwhelming and I just need to wallow in it.