Conquering Anxiety and Social Isolation in the Coronavirus Era

“May you live in interesting times” is the English translation of a Chinese ‘curse.’ It is meant to be ironic: if life is dull, we’re generally safe, but once things get ‘interesting,’ we are met with more risk and danger.

It is an understatement to say that the coronavirus outbreak has made all of our lives interesting.

None of us have lived through a pandemic of this magnitude. The earth, it seems, has stopped spinning. We are at a standstill. Events are canceled or postponed. Non-essential businesses are shut down. High school seniors have to forego their proms and graduations. Dream trips to Europe have been canceled. Even a trip to the beach is no longer allowed. Food and job insecurity are real concerns, as is, of course, maintaining both mental and physical health.

This unprecedented situation is directly linked to feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Fortunately, there are remedies for both.

How to Stay Connected During Social Isolation

Many communities are implementing curfews, shelter-in-place orders, or full lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the onset of new cases. If we do have to go to the grocery store or anywhere in public, we are instructed to stand six feet away from one another. Officials are saying that this is to ‘flatten the curve’—meaning, if multiple people contract the virus at the same time, it will overwhelm the health care system as well as put our health care heroes at risk themselves.

Even if you’re fortunate enough to live with your family or have roommates, being socially isolated is very challenging. And living alone can make you feel like you’re the last person alive in the universe, even if you usually enjoy the solitude.

Think about how social isolation would play itself out if we lived in a world without the Internet, or without social media. Connecting with people is essential to combat feelings of loneliness, even if you have to do it via computer.

Zoom

Zoom is a video communications platform that businesses have been using as a meetings solution, particularly when workers are spread out in different offices. But, as people are discovering as they are home, Zoom is a great way to connect with groups of friends.

Try hosting a Bingo Night, a Trivia Night, Book Club, or another type of social activity over Zoom. You’ll get to see your friends’ faces on a split-screen, and while it is not exactly the same as being together in person, it is the next best thing.

Skype and FaceTime

If you’re someone who keeps in touch with friends by texting or through such apps like Instagram and Snapchat, now is a great time to pick up the phone and hear a friend’s voice. Better yet, call a friend or a family member over Skype and FaceTime—there is something really comforting about replicating an in-person conversation, even though there are miles—and walls—between you. This is also a great way to check on older relatives.

Porch Concerts

Do you sing? Play an instrument? Send out the word through social media, such as the NextDoor app, that you will be performing on your porch at a certain time. Invite neighbors to attend or to join in for another ‘set.’ For an uplifting experience, go on YouTube and find a video of people quarantined in Italy, singing from their balconies.

Host a Dinner Party or Happy Hour

Eating together is one of the most social activities there can be. As many restaurants are closed other than those offering delivery options, try hosting a dinner party, a coffee break, or a happy hour online through an online conferencing platform.

Attend a Church, Synagogue or Any Other Religious Service

Check with your house of worship, but many are offering online services. While they’re not as participatory as attending in person, at least the hymns and tunes are familiar, and what we need in this uncertain era is a sense of familiarity.

Host a Netflix Party

Through the Google Chrome Extension, you can watch a TV show or movie with a group of friends. It is simple to install, and, bonus, there is a group chat feature to ‘talk’ about the movie in real-time.

Do a Good Deed

Call an elderly relative or neighbor and ask if they need anything. There are plenty of volunteer activities that can be completed from home. Tap into your skills. If you’re creative, for example, investigate how to sew face masks for health care workers and where to send them. Since many animal shelters will be temporarily closed to the public, adoptions may be down, so consider fostering a dog or cat.

Good Old-Fashioned Activities

Do you know that 600+ page novel that has been sitting on your nightstand for a few months? Now is a great time to pick it back up. Paint a picture, do a jigsaw puzzle, work a crossword puzzle, play board games, do some crafts, or reacquaint yourself with the piano. Try new recipes and have a floor picnic in front of the television.

Learn a New Skill

With nothing but time on our hands and with the distractions of everyday life temporarily suspended, now is a great time to learn a new skill. For example, learn a new language through an online app, or dust off your guitar and take a lesson from a music teacher online. If you’ve always wanted to learn calligraphy or to juggle, knit or decorate a cake, take advantage of these opportunities: there are a myriad of online tutorials for these purposes. If you’re interested in advancing your education, look into online college courses as well.

Tackle What You’ve Been Procrastinating

Have you been meaning to clean out those closets? Reorganize those shelves? Clean out the sock drawer? Although Marie Kondo may be way ahead of you, now is a good time to catch up on those mundane chores that we’re always putting off.

Virtual Travel and Museum Visits

Google Arts and Culture have collaborated with more than 2500 museums and art galleries to allow visitors virtual access, all from the comfort of home—and with the best possible price tag: free of charge.

Managing Stress and Anxiety During the Coronavirus Era

Undoubtedly, even the calmest among us are nervous about what the future holds and how the coronavirus pandemic will play out. Rationally, we all know that it ultimately will end, but until that time is here, the uncertainty can be difficult to manage on a day to day basis. Seek professional help if needed; many doctors and therapists are participating in telemedicine.

Choose Your News

Undoubtedly, your Facebook feed is filled with posts, memes, and links to articles about COVID-19. And you can’t turn on the news or log on to a news website without the top stories being related to coronavirus, or reports on the latest celebrity to be diagnosed, or how many new cases have been announced in your state. There’s no obligation to watch the news; if it upsets you, turn it off. But if you want to stay informed, search for positive articles. For example, WHO just announced that there are at least 20 coronavirus vaccines in development; pollution is improving in many major cities; and Johns Hopkins has reported that over 100,000 people worldwide have already recovered.

Exercise

Exercising is one of the best stress relievers around. If you belong to a gym, there’s a good chance it is temporarily closed, but the outdoors is always open. If there is any saving grace, it is that we are heading into spring, not winter. Respecting social distance, get out for a walk or run in your neighborhood or on an uncrowded hiking trail in a nearby park. If you’re walking alone, phone a friend and have him or her walk at the same time, so it feels as if you’re walking together. Dust off your bicycle. On rainy days, log on to YouTube and find exercise channels—there are many: from yoga to strength cardio to abs to mediation and deep breathing, you can find almost any type of exercise on YouTube.

Pamper Yourself

Even if you can’t go to the salon, treat yourself to a spa day at home. Run a bubble bath and give yourself a facial and a mani-pedi. Truly allow yourself to be in the moment and enjoy the escape; it will do wonders for your mental state. If you live with someone, increase the fun and make it a joint activity.

Herbs

If you’re prone to the effects of caffeine, including a rapid heartbeat or nervousness, try to limit or reduce your daily caffeine intake.

Teas can be beneficial for stress and relaxation, including Tulsi Turmeric Rooibos or ProVata Tea. Certain teas promote more restful sleep, such as Sleep and Relax Herbal Tea by Gaia Herbs, which contains lemon balm, passionflower, licorice, and chamomile. Another option is Tulsi Tea Sleep by Organic India, comprised of an all-organic blend of tulsi (holy basil), cardamom, chamomile, peppermint, dwarf morning glory, ashwagandha, Gotu kola, and stevia.

Some people swear by aromatherapy—diffusing and/or topically applying essential oils—-as a helpful way to ease stress. Two of the most well-known herbs for stress and anxiety are lavender (Spike Lavender by Snow Lotus Artisan Essential Oils) and peppermint (100% Pure Peppermint oil by now essential oils). Other products that support mood and emotional health include Nardova by White Tiger, containing theanine; Salvia Amber tablets, with salvia, succinum, zizyphus, dragon tooth, bamboo sap, and ginseng; and Anxiety Control by Metabolic Maintenance, containing Vitamin B-6, magnesium, GABA, glycine, L-glutamine, passionflower and primula veris.

World Health Organization and CDC

Both the World Health Organization and the CDC have a detailed list of stress-relief tips on its website. Some of WHO’s suggestions include maintaining regular household routines, eating healthy foods, and helping children find creative ways to express their fears, while the CDC recommends making time to unwind, taking breaks from the news, avoiding alcohol and drugs, and getting enough sleep.

For more pointers, visit https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html