Starting at the bottom of a different inactive threshold (remember, if these people are higher gear than you, they've been inactive for less time than you) really just pits you against even stronger players when you come back.
Unfortunately, the game is styled after frequent play. If you take a break for a long time, you will have to accept an arena drop. The good news is, you may be able to salvage grand arena.
You may want to post a link to your swgoh.gg account so people can point you in the direction of the best way to fast track back into the game.