This quarantine is stressing us all out! Seriously - it’s not just you or me. Social isolation is a thing. In fact, I found some excellent scientific information when I was looking at how the quarantine is impacting us. And the experience for each of us is so unique! I hear from many of my friends that I’m lucky I don’t have kids during this. However, it’s a struggle when you live alone as well! Having conversations with my dog is very unfulfilling most days. We’re all struggling, so there’s no need to compare your experience to others.
“Social isolation (SI) acts as a stressor which results in alterations in reactivity to stress, social behavior, function of neurochemical and neuroendocrine system, physiological, anatomical and behavioral changes in both animals and humans.”
From the study Neurobiology and consequences of social isolation stress in animal model—A comprehensive review
That’s right! It’s not just humans! This explains why my dog has become more needy and panicky when I take him anywhere or leave the house. This is an interesting quote, sure! But what does it mean in layperson talk?
Social isolation causes psychological changes.
Social isolation causes chemical changes.
Social isolation causes physical changes.
The brain is an amazing organ. It stores so much information and tries so hard to protect the rest of your body in times of stress. So in times of great stress, like a pandemic maybe, it may be interpreted as the need to just survive. And when your brain goes into survival mode, there is a whole chain reaction that starts.
As social creatures, humans generally don’t handle chronic isolation well. We depend on relationships for so much! Community, regardless of the size of the social circle, provides a sense of longing, emotional support, and even mental support. We like to feel like we’re part of social groups whether they be a family, church group, clubs - anything where you feel like you are with your tribe. So in this time of forced isolation, mass feelings of loneliness have been skyrocketing. Even with the insane advances in technological ways to connect (like Zoom or Duo), we’re still lacking a sense of connectedness.
Yes- wanting to eat your feelings is normal right now. Don’t want to exercise? That’s normal too. So is not eating or more frequent exercise. It’s all topsy-turvy. We don’t have those norms and support systems we’ve depended on. Gaining weight? Losing weight? Sleeping more? Sleeping less? This is all a natural response to the craziness of this quarantine.
So what do we do about it?
Now I’m no expert, but I've found some suggestions that I’m going to work on implementing in my life. Maybe you can too! We’ll grow and learn through this together.
Try to keep a routine. Your body likes routine because it knows when it needs to be alert and when it can relax.
Get plenty of sleep. You’d think this wouldn’t be so hard to remember, but it’s easy to stay up late binging a show you’ve always wanted to watch. Or, if you’re like me, when you’re in this survival mode, your brain doesn’t want to turn off.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. This could be family members, friends, a therapist - anyone! We have this stigma about asking for help when we’re struggling with mental health. Try not to let that stop you!
Find your passion. Do you have a hobby you had to put on hold? Some new skill you’ve always wanted to learn? This is a great time to pick it up!
Unplug for a while. Having a pandemic during an election year is almost too much for any of us to deal with. The 24-hour news cycle is especially detrimental to our mental health right now. Information and stimulation overload are real!
Try gratitude journaling. The reason for this is to help retrain your brain to look at the positive rather than negative.
As I’ve said before - I’m not an expert. But I’ll link to some articles that may be useful written by those who know significantly better than I.
So when you’re feeling isolated or irritated or wondering why the hell you want to eat that extra ice cream bar, just know that it’s not just you. These are some serious side effects of quarantining. But we can use that energy towards productive activities! I challenge you to find just one thing you can do this next week to help battle these feelings of isolation. See how it works for you!
Things to check out
The risks of social isolation from the American Psychological Association
COVID-19 Video Series: Combating Social Isolation in a Time of Social Distancing is a 5 ½ minute video from the Brain Injury Association of America
Neurobiology and consequences of social isolation stress in animal model—A comprehensive review is a study published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
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