(please don’t issue an arrest warrant before reading the article)
‘Social distancing’; this word has gained immense popularity in the last few months like no other word. But rest assured that this word has been around for generations. There was no virus to associate with the term then, rather it was a word symbolizing discrimination; being socially distant from another caste, religion, or race. And knowingly or unknowingly, we are calling that culture back. This is why Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the COVID-19 technical lead at WHO stated that we should be using ‘physical distancing’ instead of ‘social distancing’ as the later was sending out the wrong information. She further went on to explain the need for social connection during this period of difficulty.
Maybe, half a century back, it would have been difficult for us to be at our own homes and still be able to communicate with the outer world. But now, thanks to the advanced technologies we have, geographical boundaries are not much of an issue. People halfway around the world can communicate with the use of their smartphones and an internet connection. ‘we can’, but that doesn’t mean that ‘we should’, right? Here is why I think we should;
Being socially connected alleviates loneliness and creates an illusion of social harmony. Social isolation is a punishment usually reserved for serious offenders and still there are human rights activists who advocate the disposal of such a harsh method of punishment. This is because being torn away from the fabric of society, we are without identity or purpose. If the current pandemic leads to such isolated individuals, the post corona world will be just a random collection of different souls. It is important that we stay connected now; call your uncle Sam who has been abroad for a decade, start a chat with your high school crush (only if both of you are unmarried), set up a video conference with your friends and family.
WHO has given utmost importance to mental health during the pandemic. It is because that these times of uncertainty often brings out the blues in us. And without proper psychological services in isolated regions and some rural areas, we are more susceptible to mental problems than ever. The recent report from WHO foresees a rapid increase in the percentage of depression and anxiety. And something that we can do it fight this off is to talk with our loved ones, share our feelings, let others help us. It is normal to feel hopeless now. But just because it is normal doesn’t mean that it is O.K. It isn’t. Share your hopes and dreams as well as your fears and nightmares with those close to you.
From numerous research studies, it is clear that our mental wellbeing directly affects our physical health. A deranged mental status is associated with diminished immunity levels. And with the coronavirus roaming around the streets, the one thing that we don’t want to lose is our ‘immunity’. And staying connected with the people we love will automatically pull us up from negative feelings. Make sure you spend more time with people with an optimistic world view, make use of your free time, find the time to enjoy your stay at home, help those in need.
This pandemic will pass too. And we’ll be a bit stronger as a community.
