Social distancing is when individuals maintain an increased physical distance from one another. It is used to help communities minimize contagious diseases by reducing the possibility of infection. This is important to our physical health.
The problem is maintaining one’s mental health while social distancing. Humans are social animals, so it feels unnatural to stay away from others. It can underscore feelings of loneliness.
Reach out for personal online support if you feel a lack of social connections is impacting your wellbeing.
Ways People Feel When Isolated
People are unique and they can have different emotional responses to social distancing. But, we are all human. There are common themes connecting how people feel during difficult times. Talking through these emotions with a professional can help to alleviate some of the emotional strain.
- Anxiety. There can be a lot of fear around a situation that prompts social distancing. If an individual is worried about their health, and the health of loved ones and others in their community, it is natural for a person to have feelings of anxiousness or fear. The situation itself can create anxiety and then, too often, individuals find they have nobody to talk over their fears with.
- Anger. When people feel a lack of control in their lives, it can lead to frustration and anger. These feelings can bubble up within a person. Then, they may find themselves lashing out at others, family members who call or a stranger at the grocery store. There are healthy ways to cope with irritability. Erupting at others can result in further isolation.
- Depression. Daily routines can help people who suffer from depression. In many instances, social distancing disrupts those routines. For instance, if someone finds joy from regular breakfast outings with friends, they might find that as they stay home dark feelings grow. Shedding light on these feelings with online support can be helpful.
How to Cope with Social Distancing
Recognize you are not alone, many feel unsettled by social distancing. Once you acknowledge the problem you can seek solutions, from phone calls to online chats.
When you connect with an online counselor, you can find healing through conversation. They can also help you discover ways to improve your life throughout a period of social distance. Suggestions could including breathing exercises or activities such as keeping a gratitude journal or fostering a hobby to boost your mood.
Be kind to yourself and others. Recognize things that are exacerbating any personal stresses. For example, managing the amount of news you watch or read can be helpful. Yes, it can be beneficial to stay informed, but obsessively loading news websites or watching television news channels continually can lead to fearful feelings.
Some people are more prone to having problems with social distancing. This could include individuals who have experienced past trauma or people who have had issues with loneliness in their past.