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A lot of us are now a few weeks into some kind of social isolation because of the coronavirus situation, and lately I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people who are struggling with its effects...people who feel lonely, depressed, unmotivated, withdrawn, or just plain don’t know what to do with themselves. As someone who has always been a recluse, even I’m finding that without close contact with online friends I quickly become distant and withdrawn. It’s something that we’re all facing to one extent or another.

In the last week, I’ve come across several articles with strategies to deal with social isolation, and I thought I would summarize and share them with you. I would still recommend reading the articles themselves though  (here and here) just because they’re interesting articles. 

Use Video and Audio
As someone who hates voice chat (ugh, my voice), I can’t deny that the human touch is important, and the best way to get a sense of it here and now is to see and hear each other. It may be that actual conversation isn’t even important. I read about one case where people were using video chat to silently work on homework with each other, talking only when needed, just to have a sense of being with others. I imagine there are many creative ways to use video and audio tools like this.

Hang Out with Your Furry Friends
If there aren't any people around, take some time out with your furry friends. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, spending at least ten minutes with a pet boosts production of oxytocin, the hormone that boosts feelings of closeness and well-being; and reduces the production of the stress hormone cortisol.

Discover the Opportunity
These are scary times, for sure, but being stuck at home can also be an opportunity to delve into the things you’ve always been too busy to do before. Have you wanted to learn a new hobby, catch up on reading, get something done around the house, or further your education? Now is a great time, and there’s never been so many free and cheap resources to do many of these things online!

Follow a Schedule or Routine
In isolation, we lose the structure of our routines and schedules that used to ground us from day to day, which can lead us to feeling unmotivated and lazy, so rebuilding some kind of routine might be helpful. For me personally, there are certain things I want to do every day or every week, plus projects and tasks that need to be done. I keep lists of both in paper in front of me on my desk (I’ve tried doing it online and it just gets lost in a sea of tabs). Since adopting this system a few days ago, it’s helped me remember what I need and want to do, and kept me grounded and more productive.

HAVE FUN!!
In coming up with all these routines and schedules and ideas, it can be easy for some of us to go in the other direction and become consumed with projects, work, and learning, but now is also a great time for many of us to relax a little and have fun. Take some time to read a good book, play that game that’s been sitting in your Steam library for a few months now, watch a movie, meditate and ground yourself in the present, get carried away with a hobby. All work and no play, you know.

Get Some Nature In
It’s no secret that I’m an indoors person, but after a week I shocked myself by realizing that even I need some nature in my life after a while. If you actually want to go out in nature, there are plenty of parks and other outdoor areas that are still open to enjoy (just be sure to practice social distancing when you’re out). For those that can’t or don’t feel like going out, there are ways to bring nature indoors. Open some blinds and let in the sunshine, open the window for fresh air, and if all else fails there are many Youtube videos that can give you the sights and sounds of all kinds of nature, from a blustery blizzard to a gentle, peaceful stream. Every little bit helps!

Break a Sweat
Study after study has shown that exercise is not only good for your physical health, but for your mental health as well, both by boosting your mood and reducing anxiety and stress. I've personally found that getting in a short 25-minute workout of walking and squats in the morning makes me more focused and energetic throughout the day. Even better, accumulating evidence shows that regular exercise may have long-term mental health benefits by improving the blood supply to the brain. And if you're not able to go out for exercise, consider an indoor workout. Back in 1795 John Adams, then serving as the first Vice-President of the United States wrote to his son "When you cannot walk abroad, walk in your room", which is advice that I'm personally following.

Express What You’re Going Through
There are many ways to do this, from talking with friends to keeping a journal. To get a real sense of reflection and connection, try describing what you’re going through in terms of what you’re sensing, feeling, and remembering. However you do it, let it out may help you get a sense of perspective with everything that’s going on in the world and in your life.

It may be that you don't even need to share your thoughts with another if doing so would be embarrassing or awkward. According to a study in the journal Psychological Science, simply writing your thoughts down on a sheet of paper and then throwing it away can help clear your mind.

Be There For Each Other
There has never been a time when we could be so distant yet so close to each other. Wintreath is a living testament to that. Continue being there for each other...to console each other, to cheer each other up, to help each other with problems, to make each other laugh. A little bit of kindness, compassion, and light-heartedness can go a long way these days. Be a light for others.

I hope that these ideas might help you overcome the challenges we face today. I will make an effort to update this post if I come across any other ideas. I will also be talking to the Cabinet this week to see if there are ways we can incorporate any of these ideas in our community. Don’t forget, we are all in this together, and our warm and close-knit community can be an oasis of happiness and stability even in an uncertain world. I know we’ll make the best of this together.

Wintermoot im here for you.

Also i have been feeling similarly. But im relieved that i dont have school.

Legit, moot has good things to say. We're seeing alot of people doing self harm here because of the isolation. A simple phone call to a friend can help more than ya think.

Yeah.  I've been grateful for the time I've been getting with my folks, but being cooped up for over a month with basically no social contact outside of offline makes me a little stir crazy.  I'm used to being out with friends and conversing with coworkers and customers...and I was close to the opportunity to connect with people abroad in an entirely new setting.  To suddenly shift from that to no contact outside of my parents and online is a little suffocating.

Thanks for the replies and feedback, guys.

I have to admit that I'm surprised at how it has made me feel...I've taken weeks off work for vacation before and didn't think I would think twice of staying at home the whole time (though I was dragged out some, lol). But this is different. I'm working at home, and obviously the feeling during a pandemic is quite different than during the holidays...and this is something that's had an effect on everyone I've talked to about it. Maybe it's not getting to be out with others, maybe it's having our lives upended, maybe it's the worry that our friends and family may catch this virus, not to mention the worry about the economic fallout and what kind of world we'll be when we emerge from this.

I don't think the media or social media help either...it's a serious situation, but it doesn't need to be hyped up like it is to the point where people are whipped into a panicked frenzy, but they know that's how they get their views and clicks and make their money, so of course they're going to do that.

I'm trying to remember that compared to a lot of other people, I'm pretty fortunate. I'm able to work from home and continue to get paid, I'm not in danger of running out of food or other necessities, I live in an area that doesn't have a dense population with few confirmed cases here (for once living here has some kind of advantage), and I still have access to all the conveniences of modern life...can you imagine what this would be like with the technology of just 20 years ago?

At this point I'm just taking it day by day, but that's nothing new for me.

This is awesome. I feel like the only person on the planet doing well. I mean I do have to physically leave for work but honestly for me being locked inside and actually having an excuse to not leave is heaven.

I'm not normal lol.

But this is great advice for normal people who like things like "social interaction" and "friends"  good work Moot.

I work at a grocery store, so I've been still going on for that, and my school is doing online courses, so I still have lots of work to do (even more now, it feels like!). I can imagine how difficult this can be for many people, especially those who's hobby consists of going out places with people.

My gf calls me pretty much everyday just to have me on the line while we do homework; we barely talk at all, but it feels less lonely! And I just got a new dog (Dolly), so she's needed two walks a day.

This is good advice! I hope everyone is getting through this peacefully :3

Stay safe!

I am bumping this with more awesome advice that I ran into here. Now we're not only dealing with COVID-19 and social isolation, but turbulent politics and chaos throughout the world. This article had some advice on how to find stillness and remain calm in times like this. The entire post is worth reading, but I'll summarize here:

1) Stop Watching the News
Be informed of course, but don't dwell on the news, especially when it comes to watching 24/7 television news.

2) Read Books
A great way to calm down is to escape the world for a little while with a good book.

3) Journal
Your journal will always patiently listen to your thoughts and feelings, no matter what.

4) Go for a Walk (or a Run)
Besides being good exercise, it's a great way to let your mind wander and appreciate the world around you. If outside, a great way to get Vitamin D, too. ^.-

5) Enjoy the Simple Pleasures
What are the simple things in your life that you usually don't think about or take for granted?

6) Build a Routine
It's a lot easier to get things done when you don't have think about what you need to do every day. I've been slowly building a routine since the late spring, and it's been a big help.

7) Seek Solitude
Sometimes it's good to do something by yourself and be alone with your own thoughts.

8) Zoom Out
None of our problems are new, people have been experiencing some version of the same thing throughout the history of time.

9) Make Time for Hobbies
Admittingly something that I'm working on right now, find and do things that you enjoy doing...that make you happy. Even when nothing seems to be going right, we have to find some joy and pleasure in life.

10) Do Something for the Greater Good
We feel good about ourselves when we do good for others. As the Boy Scouts say, "Do a good turn daily".