Loneliness in times of pandemic: opportunity or threat

The Covid-19 pandemic is an unexpected event that affects us all as a global society, among many of the consequences of this disease, one that most have had to live with is that we are faced with loneliness. For a large part of the population, confinement is perceived as the loss of freedom and a lack of control over our lives.

The psychological effects of confinement will appear to a greater or lesser extent depending on our way of being and previous experiences, which will influence our coping strategies. In this sense, it is important to highlight that loneliness can affect anyone, but special attention must be paid to those most vulnerable groups, such as the people who live alone, or the oldest.

We are social beings: we live in groups and we depend on each other. Strict containment measures are a great challenge for everyone because they lead to the absence or decrease of our social interactions, which can have important implications for our physical and mental health. This pandemic puts commitment to caring for others and protecting the common at the forefront.

Let’s put some examples, the elderly who have been left in care homes, people who lived alone, those who unfortunately are in radical quarantine due to a possible contagion, who have had to stay in a country other than their home since they were of travel before the closing of the flights, and thus an endless number of examples. Putting ourselves in the place of each person who experiences these situations helps us understand that in the face of a temporary phenomenon, we can significantly reduce our quality of life. The good news is, we are not meant to stay negative, if you want to know how you can prevent loneliness from becoming a pathological problem during quarantine, continue reading.

BEING TOGETHER EVEN IF WE ARE FAR AWAY, TO AVOID LONELINESS

We can prevent our health and well-being from being seriously impaired during this period. Leading a healthy lifestyle or using technology to feel closer to family and friends is a good starting point, as well as maintaining a positive attitude, knowing that we are doing our part to stop the spread of the virus, helping to improve collective health.

In these moments the best thing is to accept things as they are, without being alarmed, since negative thoughts limit us. If loneliness invades us, let’s use some resources at hand, we have the use of technology as a way to get closer. Social relationships are essential for physical and mental health. Maintaining regular contact with the social circle through video calls, instant messaging, or simple phone conversations is more important than ever.

WHY ARE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IMPORTANT IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES?

Relationships are the fundamental source of subjective well-being for a great segment of the population, since they generate support, belonging, and appreciation, especially social exchanges that mainly involve the closest family. That is why, despite the urgent need to stay in our homes to prevent the spread of the virus, the distance must be physical, but it must not and should not be emotional.

Adapting to work from home is another stress source, since the work environment is usually a place of social interaction. For this reason, it is important to continue to maintain regular communication with colleagues, whether by phone, email or videoconference.

Also, as we mentioned before, it is essential to prioritize communication and ensure that older people feel accompanied. They await our calls. They need to know that we care about their well-being, that we are by their side, we listen to them, and that we are well. For those who have access and the knowledge to connect through other remote modalities, video calls and even collaborative games can be great allies. Various institutions and non-governmental organizations work tirelessly to offer their help to people in more committed situations or who have a limited support network.

TECHNOLOGIES HELP US THROUGH THE PROCESS

Throughout the pandemic, all populations have relied more than ever on technology as tools to socialize with friends and family. As a result, many older people have learned to adopt evolving technology, which they may not have had before COVID-19.

LET'S FACE LONELINESS, TAKING CARE OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

Each person experiences the coronavirus crisis in several ways — depending on their housing, financial, and health issues — one circumstance is universal: they are all more isolated than usual, resulting in many more cases of loneliness and anxiety.

In particular, people who are already prone to anxiety are especially challenged during the pandemic and can quickly escalate to a mind full of fearful and catastrophic thoughts. This may be the result of long periods of isolation or, perhaps, excessive consumption of alarming news related to the virus.

For our humanity, this is not the first event that merits confinement, we have in our history wars, economic crises, and other pandemics, which makes certain people stronger than others. Even those who have faced long stays in hospitals as a result of chronic diseases, or their work depends on it (Like the sailors or the military) explain that it is possible to face this feeling, and create learning opportunities.

Given the negative feelings that we may experience, try to remember in which aspects you are well, and that it is healthy to express what we feel with our loved ones. It is time to create spaces of self-awareness and compassion with ourselves and others, because now it is more necessary than ever to connect with the essential. This isolation is temporary, and loneliness should not always be associated with hopelessness and pain. Sometimes loneliness allows us to connect with our inner being, and in sustaining our discomfort, tolerating and accepting it, we will be able to discover new aspects of ourselves that were previously unknown.

Being alone can also represent an opportunity to have spaces for meditation, relaxation, or activities that at other times, the high demand of life prevents us from achieving. Engaging in personal projects that generate enjoyment is a way to calm the mind and emotions and understand that life has many changes, and we will always have strategies to deal with it.

We have two ways to live loneliness, feeling that it is a threat that generates sadness and pain, or facing it as it comes, understanding that it may or may not be temporary, and that it is our choice to enjoy or suffer from it. If you know someone who is dealing with a similar problem, now that you have read this article, it is in your hands to do something about it, perhaps you are the person who can provide some company even from distance.