What's Isolating You?

Long before?COVID-19?invaded our lives, many of us were living in isolating situations.

The pandemic has magnified the effects of isolating forces, such as living alone, having an illness or disability, or being a full-time?caregiver.

Certainly, the pandemic has revealed how vital our social support networks are

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I wonder how we are collectively feeling three months later—still in the grip of COVID-19 and its economic, social, and psychological fallout.

I am especially concerned about more vulnerable populations: people who had already admitted to feeling lonely or isolated before the onset of the pandemic.

I have worked closely with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have been drastically isolated from their normal social activities.

They are missing their “day” programs, jobs (often in service-related and retail settings), and other socially enriching environments.

I am sadly not able to work with many of my clients in these times and try mightily to keep a few of them from worsening isolation via phone calls and brief socially distanced visits in masks.

When it comes to research on loneliness since the pandemic, I cannot help but wonder who is being surveyed.

Where are the seniors in nursing homes, the people with disabilities, or the unemployed parents with small kids?

How are they being factored in?

Hopefully, over the next few months, studies can tell us more about those who are more isolated, and further, how we can make changes and take actionable steps to alleviate loneliness.

?Over the past few months, I have created a self-assessment for examining the isolating forces in our lives that might be making us feel lonely and more vulnerable.

Before I move ahead with sharing this self-test, I would like to emphasize that isolation and loneliness are two different but interrelated issues.

Isolation means a lack of contact (socially or physically) and the causes of isolation can be internal or external (psychological or socioeconomic, for example).

Loneliness, unlike isolation, is typically a result of how we feel, or “perceived isolation.”

We can feel isolated (lonely) even if we have social contact or close connections.

Whether because of COVID or other factors, more of my friends are living relatively isolated lives. Some are happy with that, but not all.

COVID-scared

I’m being really careful. I only go out when absolutely necessary.

?I do my shopping online and won't eat in a restaurant or go to a concert or theatre.

A friend convinced me to go to a restaurant’s outdoor parklet, but I felt uneasy the whole time.

The schools have opened but I’m uncomfortable sending my children.

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