First, social isolation does not necessarily cause a feeling of loneliness; It is true that solitude is the objective state of being alone, but loneliness is the subjective experience of detachment, which means that one can feel lonely while surrounded by people, or connected to them while alone.
And during a pandemic "COVID-19" Most people are more isolated than before, but that doesn’t mean they feel lonely.
This is what was proven by a scientific study that showed that there is a slight improvement in people’s feeling of loneliness even with social distancing, the study was conducted before and during the Corona pandemic in the United States, the United Kingdom and 26 other countries, its results were published periodically "American Psychologist" Which was considered contrary to expectations.
Second, physical distancing does not mean that we should distance ourselves emotionally or socially. The online community has provided a great alternative for humanity to stay in touch with the outside world, as more than half of the world’s population now uses social media.
Daisy Fancourt, a British researcher at the University of London and lead of the social study of"COVID-19": "That while video calls shouldn’t be seen as a substitute for in-person communication, on the whole it helped people stay connected and were better off.".
What other tips to maintain mental health during social isolation?
Keep busy learning something new
Spending time doing more of the things you love can prevent you from focusing on feeling lonely, which is good for your psychological balance. Take the time to pursue a hobby or something you’ve always wanted to be able to do that can be a good way to spend time with others.
Join a new online community
Find creative ways to stay in touch with family, friends, and co-workers, especially when you’re feeling lonely or feel like others may need you. By arranging meetings via video conferencing on computers or smartphones. In addition to participating in many fun virtual games and activities.
Take care of yourself
It’s important to take extra care of yourself, during stressful times, to fill your tank with positivity; Examples of psychological self-care include: allowing yourself to feel frustrated or broke down now and then; But repeating a sentence: "I’m fine" make you better.
Also, recalling good memories and making a list of goals and hopes for the future is very useful.
Playing sports
Studies published in Frontiers in Psychology show that exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage stress and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. And that people who exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, get many health and emotional benefits; This is what happened with people who exercised frequently during the pandemic, they felt more positive moods; And they kept their spirits high.
Volunteer to help others
The social studies of COVID-19 led by Professor Daisy Vancourt in the United Kingdom, indicate that volunteering has a positive impact, not only on the people receiving assistance, but also on the volunteers; And volunteering was one of the most important activities associated with higher life satisfaction and improved mood.
conclusion; Perhaps the pandemic has tested the world’s loneliness and anxiety, however, there are many things that can be controlled, and one of those things is to take a positive attitude towards what is happening, because that greatly reduces the times of anxiety and stress.
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Surprisingly, however, unit rates have remained generally stable around the world, in the midst of a pandemic Corona Virus. The question then: How do we avoid social consequences?
First, social isolation does not necessarily cause a feeling of loneliness; It is true that solitude is the objective state of being alone, but loneliness is the subjective experience of detachment, which means that one can feel lonely while surrounded by people, or connected to them while alone.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are more isolated than before, but that doesn’t mean they feel lonely.
This is what was proven by a scientific study that showed that there is a slight improvement in people’s feeling of loneliness even with social distancing, the study was conducted before and during the Corona pandemic in the United States, the United Kingdom and 26 other countries, the results of which were published in the “American Psychologist”, which considered it contrary to expectations.
Second, physical distancing does not mean that we should distance ourselves emotionally or socially. The online community has provided a great alternative for humanity to stay in touch with the outside world, as more than half of the world’s population now uses social media.
“Although video calls should not be seen as a substitute for in-person communication, in general they helped people stay connected and were better off,” says Daisy Fancourt, a British researcher at University College London and leader of the social study of “Covid 19.”
What other tips to maintain mental health during social isolation?
Keep busy learning something new
Spending time doing more of the things you love can prevent you from focusing on feeling lonely, which is good for your psychological balance. Take the time to pursue a hobby or something you’ve always wanted to be able to do that can be a good way to spend time with others.
Join a new online community
Find creative ways to stay in touch with family, friends, and co-workers, especially when you’re feeling lonely or feel like others may need you. By arranging meetings via video conferencing on computers or smartphones. In addition to participating in many fun virtual games and activities.
Take care of yourself
It’s important to take extra care of yourself, during stressful times, to fill your tank with positivity; Examples of psychological self-care include: allowing yourself to feel frustrated or broke down now and then; But repeating “I’m fine” makes you better.
Also, recalling good memories and making a list of goals and hopes for the future is very useful.
Playing sports
Studies published in Frontiers in Psychology show that exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage stress and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. And that people who exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, get many health and emotional benefits; This is what happened with people who exercised frequently during the pandemic, they felt more positive moods; And they kept their spirits high.
Volunteer to help others
The social studies of COVID-19 led by Professor Daisy Vancourt in the United Kingdom, indicate that volunteering has a positive impact, not only on the people receiving assistance, but also on the volunteers; And volunteering was one of the most important activities associated with higher life satisfaction and improved mood.
conclusion; Perhaps the pandemic has tested the world’s loneliness and anxiety, however, there are many things that can be controlled, and one of those things is to take a positive attitude towards what is happening, because that greatly reduces the times of anxiety and stress.
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