Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, had strongly stated about the social nature of the man: Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.
To fight the spread of coronavirus, state heads of different countries have asked their citizens to make a difficult decision: social distancing: stay away from each other.
As increasingly stringent measures to keep people apart are put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus, mental health experts are warning that losing everyday social connections and practicing social distancing for a long period of time, comes with psychological costs. And those costs could grow phenomenally, the longer such measures drag on.
While scientists are still curious to understand how the coronavirus works, researchers have long understood the toll that social isolation and loneliness take on the body. People who do not feel connected to others are more likely to catch a cold, experience depression, develop heart disease, have lower cognitive function and live a shorter life. In fact, the long-term harm caused by loneliness is similar to smoking or obesity.
Research also states that prolonged period of social distancing leads to changes in the brain activity, similar to those of astronauts returning to earth from Space station.
“The brain has limited bandwidth to solve problems and to regulate emotions. And so our intense sociability serves yet another purpose: to expand that bandwidth. The brain processes all manner of information more efficiently in the presence of other people, even if they are six feet away (social distancing), than it does while alone, or while engaging with someone on a screen or a phone.”
So, here are some tips for #StayHomeStaySafe –
You are “social distancing”, not ”quarantined”
Using the term “quarantine” to define any period of isolation can infuse a sense of helplessness and make one feel psychologically more distanced from others. Instead, what the larger population is following during this lockdown period is best defined as “social distancing”: restricting our contact with those outside our family units, practicing social distancing (approximately six feet) from others when outside, as also avoiding gathering spaces such as schools, religious places, malls and public transportation.
Remember, you’re not quarantined, you are practicing social distancing.
Connect emotionally
On one hand, we experience moments of national solidarity that bring us together such as the PM’s request to honour the brave workers with claps. On the other, we continue to remain divided across the faultiness of communities and class. One lesson this pandemic seems to be driving home is that while we are practicing social distancing, we are all connected emotionally by our collective vulnerability. The virus has in many ways, been an equaliser. This is a global experience that each of us, regardless of race, class, culture, age or gender, are facing together. We can come out of this more resilient if we work together.
Use the internet
Dr Bessel van der Kolk, the world’s leading expert in trauma therapy writes in his book The Body Keeps the Score. “When something distressing happens, we automatically signal others to come to our assistance. However, if no one responds to our call for help, the threat increases, and our primitive brain jumps into “fight or flight” mode. And if there is still no help, we disengage, collapse, and freeze. Now imagine, during this time of practicing social distancing or complete isolation, how big a mental health crisis we might have faced had we not had access to social media, online meetings or WhatsApp chats.
Dr Kolk, says – “The internet is a huge variable in this pandemic, we have a profound new way to comfort one another.”
Remember, an inability to engage with people could cause not just anxiety, but also long-term distress.
Face-to-face from afar
The next best thing to in-person interaction is video chat, because facial cues, body language and other nonverbal forms of communication are important for bonding. When possible, opt for video over messaging or calling . One-minute kindness: Getting lots of likes on a social media post may give you a fleeting hit of dopamine, but receiving a direct message or e-mail with a genuine compliment or expression of gratitude is more personal and longer lasting—without taking much more time. When you find yourself scrolling through people’s posts, stop and send one of them a few kind words. After all, we need a little extra kindness to counter the stress and uncertainty of the coronavirus.
Cultivate your community
The basis of connection is having something in common. Whatever your niche interest is, there is an online community of people who share your passion and can’t wait to nerd out with you about it. There are also digital support groups,FB fan pages, online communities, etc. Use these networks to engage around what matters most to you.
The coronavirus pandemic has reminded us that human connection can spread illness. But human connection also promotes wellness. Let’s take this opportunity to recognize the importance of relationships for our health and to practice leveraging technology for social well-being.
After all, we need a little extra kindness to counter the stress and uncertainty of the coronavirus.
POLL
As we gradually emerge from lockdown & socialise, do you feel awkward being social these days?
(Answer in comments below)
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t ask – I’m still socially distanced.
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