Loneliness Amongst Lockdown — KOYA
COVID-19 has touched more than just our bodies. Our routines, social interactions, financial situations, and wellbeing have also been impacted. Although social isolation doesn’t necessarily equate to loneliness it can still be a contributing factor. With this in mind, some are calling COVID-19 a double pandemic.
According to YouGov, 19% of US adults reported feeling lonely pre-pandemic, whereas roughly 26% have reported feeling lonely during COVID-19. In order to understand what this means, we asked Joyce Shulman, TEDx Expert on Loneliness, and other experts to shed light on how isolation plays into loneliness.
Joyce indicates that “Isolation can certainly contribute to loneliness, but they are two distinct things. Isolation is the physical state of being alone. Loneliness, on the other hand, is emotional — the feeling that you are missing the kind of meaningful interpersonal connections that all human beings need in one way or the other.”
Although things may be different now, it’s still possible to connect with our loved ones while apart. To do so, Joyce offers the following suggestion:
Get creative about how to connect. For instance, I love to walk with my friends and my work colleagues. It is where we consistently have the best conversations and forge…
