By Hanna Leppanen
People are facing long-term isolation as the number of coronavirus cases keeps rising.
Everyone is now asked to stay home and only go out to get essential food supplies or medicine. Many people are isolating with their families, but some are facing it alone, which can cause psychological effects such as anxiety and loneliness.
This situation can feel stressful, but there are things everyone can do at home to ease these symptoms.
“I think I have spoken with my family now more than I have in years. My normal routine is hectic, so I don’t have time to communicate with people as much as I would want to. Now that I have more time, I am talking with them daily,” says Monica Hoheizer, 23, a waitress from Wimbledon.
“I am also missing my friends like crazy, so we have arranged a couple of e-dates with them to catch up and see how everyone is doing. This has helped a lot to not feel so lonely all the time.”
Video calls and messages might be an excellent way to stay connected with friends and family, but it’s also a good time to contact old friends and check how they are coping with the situation. Many different communication apps also make it possible to have e-coffee dates, while the coffee shops are closed.
“This situation got really weird almost instantly for me, and I felt extremely lonely during my first week. Then we started having daily video conferences with my work colleagues, and it made me feel more normal,” says Jason Marinelli, 31, a customer service representative from Balham.
“I am still trying to cope with not actually seeing people daily, but social media is also making me feel more connected. It makes me feel like I am updated on what is happening with other people’s lives.”
Social media can help people to connect with others in a similar situation, and it can work as an informal support network. Many musicians and trainers have also set up live online sessions where people can participate and connect with others.
“Because I am in the risk group, I have been staying inside for a couple of weeks now. I don’t think I would have survived without the help of our community. I asked someone to help with my shopping in our local group, and I got so many lovely answers, and now I have plenty of people to talk to,” says Lizzie Harris, 78, a pensioner from Earlsfield.
There are multiple online groups on social media and several apps where people can connect with their neighbours and make new friends. These community groups can also inspire people to try new things, or people can connect and talk about things they love and what they have in common.
“When it gets really quiet, I turn on the TV or the radio so the house won’t feel so quiet and lonely. I think that situations like this can really bring people together. Having all this support makes me feel like we will get through this,” Harris continues.
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