{"id":80033,"date":"2020-04-23T19:59:04","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T03:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=80033"},"modified":"2020-04-23T19:59:04","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T03:59:04","slug":"5-social-distancing-busters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/5-social-distancing-busters\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Social Distancing Busters"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Social\ndistancing and stay-at-home orders are taking a toll on the human psyche and\nfueling the loneliness epidemic that has raged for several years. Let\u2019s face\nit: It\u2019s isolating inside for long stretches. And when we venture outside, we\nfind others who look like aliens with face masks and gloves, darting away from\neach other. It\u2019s downright creepy.<\/p>\n\n\n

Before\nCoronavirus knocked us off our feet, one-fifth of Americans reported feeling\nlonely. More than one-third of Americans age 45 and older said they felt socially\nisolated. And 28 percent of older adults live home alone, more than ever\nbefore.<\/p>\n\n\n

Too much\nisolation is bad news: Loneliness is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a\nday, being obese, or having high blood pressure or diabetes. It can trigger\ninflammation, arthritis, Alzheimer\u2019s and premature death. It also hampers the\nimmune system, which is especially tough on seniors who are more vulnerable to\nthe virus.<\/p>\n\n\n

How can we bust\nisolation?<\/p>\n\n\n

\u00b7      Rekindle old friendships<\/strong>:\nGo on the Internet or pick up your phone to track down people from your past.\nClose friends help us cope with the ups and downs of life and this is a\ndowner. Don\u2019t be the lone wildebeest: In the African Savanna, wildebeests\nseek safety in a pack. The one who strays away from the network is in trouble\nwhen the lion arrives!<\/p>\n\n\n

\u00b7      Create virtual double dates<\/strong>:\nConnect with another couple. But don\u2019t make small talk. Talk about real\nconcerns. Getting together with others over a glass of wine or cup of tea\ntriggers new ideas, prompts great discussions and brings everyone closer.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u00b7      Choose meaningful connections<\/strong>: Connect\nwith friends who soothe and support you. Steer clear of toxic relationships who\nvex or annoy you. Aristotle divides friendship into three types: those of\n\u201cutility\u201d and those of \u201cpleasure\u201d\u2014 which both fade away. But the friendship \u201cof\nthe good,\u201d the one that exists for its own sake, sticks with you! <\/p>\n\n\n

\u00b7      Connect to Community:<\/strong> Stream\nconcerts, plays, church services. It\u2019s the next best thing to being there.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u00b7      Chat up strangers<\/strong>: When\nyou\u2019re outside, interact with others nearby. Did you ever tell share secrets\nwith your airplane seatmate? We frequently confide in people we barely know,\nseeking \u201ccognitive empathy\u201d with others who have similar experiences. These\ndays, we\u2019re all in the same boat. Just stay six feet away!<\/p>\n\n\n

Remember, physical distance isn\u2019t the same as social distance.\u00a0People who move through tough times and trauma emerge with \u201cpost-traumatic growth,\u201d more resilient and with a better sense of what really matters. They learn to appreciate life more and sense subtler vibrations. This is a stressful time. But with the right approach it can be transformational.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\n\n

Judy Holland has been a journalist for more than 30 years, including in the Washington Bureau of Hearst Newspapers as national editor and Capitol Hill correspondent,\u00a0where she prepared stories for 600 newspapers over The New York Times wire.\u00a0Her stories have appeared in the\u00a0Washington Post<\/em>,\u00a0Boston Globe<\/em>,\u00a0Houston Chronicle<\/em>,\u00a0San Francisco Examiner<\/em>,\u00a0Tampa Tribune<\/em>, and\u00a0Washingtonian<\/em>\u00a0magazine. She was president of the Washington Press Club Foundation, a nonprofit celebrating female pioneers in journalism.\u00a0She also was founder and editor-in-chief of\u00a0Parentinsider.com<\/a>, an online magazine for parents of teens, for which she wrote stories, edited columns, and co-produced videos.\u00a0She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband John Starr and their Great Dane, whom her three children, Lindsay, Maddie and Jack, left home to fill the empty nest.<\/p>\n\n\n

Connect with Judy Holland on Twitter\u00a0@JudyHAuthor<\/a>, Instagram\u00a0@judyhollandauthor<\/a>, Facebook\u00a0@judyhollandauthor<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0YouTube<\/a>, and visit\u00a0www.judyhollandauthor.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

HappiNest: Finding Fulfillment After Your Kids Leave Home\u00a0<\/em>is available February 15, 2020 via\u00a0Amazon<\/a>\u00a0and other retail outlets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Social distancing and stay-at-home orders are taking a toll on the human psyche and fueling the loneliness epidemic that has raged for several years. Let\u2019s face it: It\u2019s isolating inside for long stretches. 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