The loneliness of current world events

Let's face it we are all lonely, scared and afraid of the world today - even if we don't admit it.  For those of us living alone the current pandemic has made loneliness a much bigger issue than before.  Sometimes the quiet and alone time is appreciated on many levels but these days it can be very depressing because we are all affected by the social distancing requirements in different ways.

Social isolation puts individuals at a greater risk for developing anxiety and depression but it can also worsen other pre-existing mental health conditions.  Isolation has the potential to be traumatic especially for those with trauma histories and PTSD.  Isolation is not just physically being alone, it can also be mentally being alone. But there are things you can do to deal with the loneliness and the mental anguish it can cause.

Keeping in contact with other human beings is the most important thing you can do to fight loneliness. Another thing that’s great is getting outside for a walk or something similar.  If you live in the suburbs or somewhere rural, it should be pretty easy to take a walk and stay 6 feet away from anyone else who might also be on a walk.  If you’re in a more urban area, just be sure to keep your distance from passersby.  You could also go for a bike ride or skate, if that’s more your style.

Aside from those tips, here are some other things you can do alone to keep your mental health in check:

• Meditate 
• Do some at home workouts 
• Write in a gratitude journal 
• Work on learning a new skill through an online course 
• Do something creative like drawing, painting, coloring, or playing an instrument
• Avoid checking the news / social media first thing in the morning
• Listen to music and dance
• Take regular breaks from work if you’re working from home

 Seems simplistic doesn't it?  Trust me it is not always that easy.  Sometimes our minds get the better of us and they don't want to shutoff.  As humans we tend to overthink everything - it is in our nature.  I have found writing in a journal helps me clear the constant mess out of my head - gets rid of the noise so to say.  It is easy and doesn't need to make sense to anyone else because it is for me and my sanity.  Funny how that works.  Journaling helps to manage anxiety, reduce stress and cope with depression.  I find that it also provides an opportunity for self-talk which some days I sorely need.

These days more of us are working from home than ever before.  For some it is a good to be able to spend more time with the kids or significant other but for others who live alone, it can actually be a bad thing.  For some they work more because it fills the void of human interaction but it is often frowned upon because management will feel you are going to burn yourself out.  Honestly it depends on the person but it is not seen that way by everyone.  There are times while working from home that I walk away just to meditate and focus back on the moment.  Then there are times where I am thankful I am not on camera or a conference call because I just cry.  It sounds bad doesn't it?  However after a lot of contemplation I have discovered that it is normal because I am one of the people that miss the human interaction on a day to day basis.  I mean I get it via the conference call but it is not the same - for me at least.  As an empath I need the human interaction, the physical connection.  So I take one day at a time and work through it because who knows how long we will be working from home with this pandemic.  I spend more time meditating and I spend more time journaling to ensure I put my emotions on paper and into the universe.  

As this pandemic continues we will all face more of the emotions I have described but remember to stay connected with others.  Sometimes a text is a good thing but trust me when I say - sometimes we need to hear each others voices or get a hug or just sit in the same room...  It helps with our emotional stability and to keep our balance.  So check on those that you care about because whether they admit it or not - they are lonely too.