Staying Home Doesn ’ t Have to Mean Being Alone

While things appear to be slowly opening up again in many parts of the world, many people continue to feel hesitant to leave their homes, fearful of exposure to COVID-19. The resulting sense of isolation, depression, and anxiety are keeping mental health hotlines busy. Without sounding too rosy, is there the possibility of extracting something positive from the turn inward that circumstances are now offering? A telephone survey of 818 Hong Kong residents of age 18-60 during the SARS epidemic in 2003 offers glimmers of hope.  Researchers have reported in the Journal of Infection (August, 2006) that over 60% of respondents cared more about their family member’s feelings. About 30-40% found their friends and family members more supportive. About 2/3 of those interviewed paid more attention to their mental health. And around 35-40% of participants in the survey reported taking more time for resting, relaxing, and exercising. Sometimes it takes an unexpected and unwelcome jolt to remind us of what’s important in life. These findings suggest to me that one positive response to the stress and fear created by a pandemic is to avail ourselves of the rich resource of human connections, while also taking time to cultivate self-care habits.  Perhaps our lives have been so busy that we haven’t allowed ourselves to pause long enough to attend to our own — and each other’s — inner world. Now that we’re being forced (or invited) to slow down, it’s an opportunit...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Communication Depression Friends Happiness Inspiration & Hope Mindfulness Psychology Relationships Self-Help Friendship Optimism social distancing Social Isolation Source Type: blogs