As states and cities start to ease coronavirus restrictions and the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines continues, many are thrilled to get back to business and return to normal well, normalish life.

Yet there are just as many people who feel conflicted about these developments. You can be glad to see things reopening but simultaneously, a little anxious about how the next phase of the pandemic will play out.

After all, the stats are still overwhelming : The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world has exceeded 112 million (and counting). In the United States, more than 28 million cases have been recorded and more than 507,000 people have died so far from COVID-19.

If youre experiencing anxiety over lockdown ending or just the coronavirus in general, know that youre not alone. Census Bureau data shows that 30% of Americans now show symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder .

Many of my clients, most of whom have never previously experienced anxiety about going out, are nervous as states begin to reopen and loosen restrictions, said Jennifer Chappell Marsh , a marriage and family therapist in San Diego.

As that happens, Chappell Marsh said many of her clients are reporting generalized social anxiety about resuming their regular lives in public.

Theyve spent months without much exposure to people and places while consuming a lot of coronavirus-related media, she said. But there are so many unknowns: We dont know how bad this will get and we dont know how long this will last. They dont know what to expect and the unknown can be terrifying, especially because the risk of infection is real and can lead to death.

Over the last few months, Chappell Marsh has learned on the fly how to address concerns like these. Below, she and other experts share their best advice for managing panic and anxiety as states begin to reopen.

Recognize that its entirely natural to feel anxiety about this.

Amelia Aldao is a psychologist and anxiety specialist in New York City. People in big metropolitan areas like NYC may feel heightened concern about the end of isolation since most city dwellers are used to seeing and interacting with hundreds of people in the course of a day (during subway commutes, at the office, walking around the city).

We were used to [it], but during the last few months, most of us have only had real, face-to-face interactions with a small subset of people, she said. Its going to take some adjustment to go back to real life. At the very least, we might experience sensory overload, since our brains are no longer used to processing so many social interactions.

As the city began to reopen in the spring, even Aldao has said she dealt with some unexpected anxiety while walking around town.

I was walking in the park here in NYC and all of a sudden I was feeling very foggy and confused, she said. I then realized it was because my brain had a hard time adjusting to seeing that many people outside!

People at the park were spaced out far enough from each other and wearing masks, but it still felt jarring, Aldao said.

My brain was just having a hard time adjusting, she said. Much like when we are outside on a very bright day and our eyes have a hard time adjusting to the change in light when we go inside.

Ask yourself: What can I control now?

Youre living with a lot of unknowns right now: Will the vaccine work as well against new strains of the coronavirus ? Will your workplace do enough to ensure employees are social distancing? How safe are indoor public places right now (retail stores, for instance, and restaurants)? Will people remain vigilant about wearing masks?

When you get stuck in this loop, try to refocus on positive thoughts about things in your life you can control, Chappell Marsh said. You can wear a mask to lower your chance of catching the virus and others chances, too, for instance. You can talk to your manager at work and slowly reacquaint yourself with going out in public places again. (No need to rush to make those restaurant reservations!)

In times of uncertainty and overwhelm, its best to bring our focus to the here and now, asking ourselves, What can I do? said Chappell Marsh. Shifting our mindset in that way takes us mentally from overwhelm and anxious to empowered and hopeful.