Safe within these 4 walls?

Today we are being told – ‘Stay Safe. Stay Home.’

Staying within our own 4 walls should hopefully protect us from the pandemic sweeping the outside world.
But….when at home. Alone. How do we protect ourselves from ourselves?

‘Isolation has profound effects on the human body and brain.’ In 2018, poker player Rich Alati bet $100 000 dollars that he could survive 30 days alone (and in darkness.) After 20 days, he negotiated his exit. Isolation is hard and many of us are not coping with the effect that isolation is having.
Humans are social creatures. We gain surges of ‘feel good’ hormones from conversational exchange and from tactile sensations. We need to cuddle, to look each other in the eye and have someone regularly at our side. We are tribal.

To be stripped from our tribal ancestry leaves physical and mental wounds. People who are lonely are more susceptible to illness. Ironic given the circumstances, but when we are alone our immune systems often suppress and we are less able to fight infections. (As the Americans would say – go figure?!)

Likewise, our mental health can take a battering. Panic attacks, paranoia and hallucinations are all associated with isolation in the extreme sense. It would be unlikely for your favourite plant pot to start conversing with you after just 3 weeks of social distancing, but you may begin to feel more anxious and/or more depressed. Having less outside distraction will also mean any underlying mental health issue may worm their way to the surface.
You may have read it before but read it again – get up, get dressed, get ready for the day and follow a routine. Pick up the phone, facebook messenger with friends and get active.

If the above continues to fail, it is ok to not feel ok. On a personal note, I feel anxious, uneasy, homesick and on edge. Not knowing when I will be ‘home home’ next or with loved ones in the UK is intolerable. I am trying to learn that it is ok to feel like this and accept it and ride the wave. If you are unable to cope however, pick up the phone to your local family practitioner and make a plan.

#life #love #isolation #socialisolation #mediclife #medicine #wellness #covid19 #corona #socialisolation #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mydubai