After over two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are now developing fear of going out (FOGO) and fear of normal (FONO).

FOGO is the perception that something scary of is out there (e.g., Covid-19 virus), which makes you scared of going out even when it’s safe. In the Covid-19 pandemic context, the most common reason is the fear of meeting people who can transmit the virus when going out.

Pandemic made us to live a very different world for the last 18 months. Some people got used to doing anything work-from-home and don’t want to go back to the way things were pre-COVID.

What about FONO? FONO is the fear or anxiety about getting back to normal.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people were made used to stay at home and socialize less, which made them anxious to get back to ‘normal’ socialization pattern in the post-pandemic period.

In those with FONO, the new normal situation is not as easy as it sounds, especially when someone thought they were forced to quickly adapt to changes and get into a new routine. Two main things that those with FONO fear of are the ability to adjust to offline life and the remaining risk of Covid-19 transmission.

It is true that many uncertain things in this post-pandemic era, but we better to be ready for it. The best way to cope with FOGO or FONO is to recognize that you are not alone and talk to others (people you are closest to or therapist) about what you are feeling.