CAPE TOWN: rritable? Sad? Feeling empty? It could be post-World Cup withdrawal.

The post-mortem on South Africa`s World Cup drew a near perfect score but locals are now grappling a once far-off question after a month of celebration and rare unity: How are you going to get your life back?

With a touch of the blues, say experts.

"This World Cup has provided us with a fantastic natural high," said Cape Town psychologist Helgo Schomer.

"Now we have to replace it because within 31 days and a few games you get hooked."

South Africans lapped up the chance to welcome the world and celebrate without the constant shadow of apartheid`s ills, in a outpouring of national pride and unity little seen since multi-race democracy in 1994.

All the country`s social barriers had come down during the month-long tournament which is not often seen, Schomer told AFP.

"We are a social animal. We need to admit that something like this in a group in a stadium with 60,000 plus people cannot be replaced by anything else," he said.

"Humans among humans are the most happy people around. We forget about our worries. Nothing like a World Cup event alleviates worry about the mundane."

The championship created a vacuum of euphoria with a bump to be expected, said Charl Davids of the psychology department at the University of the Western Cape.

"It`s the sudden set-in of ok, now things are back to normal, and I think that is the kind of blues and almost depressed feeling that a lot of people have."

As reality crept in, the hype of the mega-event was suddenly gone, once the 64 matches had finished after years of build-up.

The freedom of opining on the game`s minutiae -- which dominated conversations for four weeks -- by instant football experts who perhaps lacked through knowledge might also have evaporated.

"It`s quite normal after a big event," said Davids.

"Suddenly today that is gone because now if you talk about something you need to know what you`re talking about," he added.

South Africans have been urged to harness the current spirit, amid hopes that the benchmark set by staging the world`s most-watched sporting event will turn to huge challenges of poverty, crime and divisions.

For those itching for a vuvuzela or remote control, Schomer said some could face withdrawal symptoms of irritability, frustration and even more swearing.

"There`s a touch of melancholy about it`s over, it`s done," he said.

But the blues will pass, he said, calling on people to replace the natural high.

"We level out. It takes a bit of time. Normally it takes about a seven day period on average but that varies from person to person."

Some fans were already feeling the blues before the last whistle on Sunday.

"I`ve already started suffering from post-World Cup depression," said Melanie George queuing for the Cape Town fan park eight hours ahead the final on Sunday.

"It`s like amazing, all the people that are here and everyone said South Africa couldn`t do it and we really showed them."

And next? "Sulk. Save for 2014."

BDST: 1152hrs, July 13, 2010