With orders pertaining to social distancing still in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many people have begun to fear the consequences. Social distancing might have severe health effects the longer it is drawn out, according to mental health experts. Although social distancing is needed for the time being, showing that it is slowing/stopping the spread of COVID-19, will the result in health effects be worth the costs?
Stay At Home & Social Distancing
There are currently 145,000 cases of COVID-19 in the United States. Across the country, stay-at-home orders have shut down restaurants, schools, and other businesses. What remains to be seen is if the resulting lack of contact with others will have its own severe health effects. “For some people, a lack of social connectedness feels as impactful as not eating,” says Joshua Morganstein, a psychiatrist and disaster mental health expert at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD.
Social Distancing Health Effects
We have limited research on the effects of current social distancing orders due to COVID-19; however, research from previous quarantined individuals during outbreaks of SARS, H1N1 flu, Ebola, and other infectious diseases has been in circulation since the early 2000s. Many of those who went through similar situations experienced short and long-term mental health issues. This included emotional exhaustion, insomnia, substance abuse, and stress. Out of 2,760 people quarantined during an influenza outbreak, 34 percent (around 938 individuals) reported psychological distress. Those quarantined in the 2003 SARS outbreak reported similarly, with half of a sample size resorting to alcohol to help quell their anxieties.
How To Keep In Touch During Social Distancing
The Coronavirus poses risk to all, but especially elders and those with underlying medical conditions. Stay connected to others! Whether it be a text message, phone call, Facetime, Skype, or Zoom call, you should do everything you can to safely interact with your friends, family, and other loved ones. Humans weren’t made to be solitary creatures. Use best-practice methods to stay in touch while considering those around you until we beat COVID-19.
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