Only The Lonely: COVID 19 Addition
As the summer comes to a close and we begin our 5th month in quarantine A lack of social interactions have begun to take an emotional toll on everyone. For many, the pandemic has brought on an onset of problems such as job loss, a rise in health concerns and lack of directions from national leaders; finding an outlet to spend your social life could give you the boost needed to stay calm and carry on. An increase in mental health issues and addiction connected to loneliness is unfortunately a normalized occurrence.
During a health crisis an increase in loneliness is often correlated to the body being constantly under stress due to media, financial stress, relationship issues, trauma and other intense factors. Respectfully, our health is immensely impacted by the emotional and social disconnection as a result of quarantine.Tracking feelings of loneliness and taking steps to shift such feelings are essential aspects of the physical and emotional well-being during the crisis. Understanding the normality of emotional disconnection is a healthy way to begin exploring options for improvement. You might be stuck at home but you do have options.
Explore online events such as Meetup.com or Eventbrite.com in areas you find most interesting.
Creating a routine and sense of normalcy.
Getting outdoors is like riding a bike or hiking.
Video chatting with friends and family.
Working out from home.
Resources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-cope-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus-4799661
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/managing-isolation-and-loneliness-during-covid-19
https://time.com/5833681/loneliness-covid-19/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pacific-heart/202005/coping-loneliness-and-isolation-during-covid-19
https://counseling.northwestern.edu/blog/coping-isolation-loneliness-coronavirus-pandemic/